Location of Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park is located in the Northern Tourist circuit that covers the premium parks such as Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. Lake Manyara National Park is situated approximately 126 kilometers southwest of Arusha, a journey that takes about an hour and a half by car, The park can also be accessed from Babati, the regional capital of Manyara. The park can be accessed either by the northern or southern gates. The northern gate is more frequently used since most accommodation is situated in its vicinity.
Nearby, there is Lake Manyara Airport, providing additional access options. Manyara National Park covers about 330 square kilometers and the lake covers about two-thirds of the park, about 200 square kilometers. The park is dominated by Lake Manyara a shallow alkaline lake at an altitude of 960m which was formed in a depression within the Rift Valley System. To the south of the park, on the escarpment, lies the Marang Forest Reserve, covering 35,399 hectares. To the east, the Kwa Kuchinja Wildlife Migration corridor stretches across the landscape, facilitating the movement of wildlife between Tarangire National Park to the southeast, Lake Manyara to the west, and the Engaruka Basin to the north.
Several villages are located within this corridor. Further away from the lake and outside village areas, the 45,000-acre Manyara Ranch exists, formerly a livestock ranch now managed by the Tanzania Land Conservation Trust since 2001. This ranch plays a crucial role in maintaining wildlife connectivity between Tarangire and Lake Manyara parks. The national park is part of the Lake Manyara Biosphere Reserve, which includes the lake itself, the surrounding areas, and the Marang Forest Reserve on the adjacent uplands. Together, these areas are designated as the Lake Manyara Important Bird Area. Lake Manyara National Park has a variety of diverse habitats ranging from evergreen underground forests, woodlands, extensive swamps and Grasslands home to various flora and fauna worth visiting.
TOP REASONS TO VISIT LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK IN TANZANIA
Game Drives
The game drives within the park provide the opportunity to explore all of the key tourist attractions, which can be enjoyed during morning, evening, and afternoon safaris. To make the most of these experiences, it is advisable to wake up early in the morning so you can join the game drives and observe animals while they are still active and easily visible in the wild. During your game drives in Lake Manyara National Park, you will have the chance to see a diverse array of wildlife, including Elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, lions, zebras, hippos, gazelles, waterbucks, warthogs, African wild cats, hyenas, jackals, bat-eared foxes, antelopes, African civets, and cheetahs many of which are particularly visible in the forested areas of the park.
Hiking
Hiking is the activity of taking a long walk mostly for pleasure or exercise. Hiking is an adventurous safari experience in Lake Manyara National Park, perfect for hikers and nature enthusiasts, involves exploring on foot without the use of vehicles. This allows travelers to access parts of the park that are not reachable by vehicle, offering a closer connection with the natural environment.
Birdwatching
Lake Manyara National Park is a perfect destination for bird watching within Tanzania, the park is known for hosting a flock thousands of flamingos clustered the shorelines of Lake Manyara. These flamingos are found of migrating from Lake Natron to Lake Manyara mostly in the wet season. Beside the flamingos, you can also spot other bird species such as African dim hornbill, African falcon hawk, brush duck, pied kingfisher, pink-backed pelican, von der Decken’s hornbill, pied avocet, and many other birds while on your bird watching in Lake Manyara National Park.
Canoeing
Lake Manyara National Park is one of just a few unique Tanzania safari destinations that offer paddling as a movement option for visitors on safaris in the park. Canoeing in Lake Manyara National Park, is amazing experience which is done on the salty waters of the lake in a two-man canoe. While on your canoeing adventure, you’ll have the opportunity to see a variety of aquatic animals such as birds and hippos in the lake, as well as a variety of creatures on the shoreline, such as elephants.
Night Game Drives
Night game drives are available in Lake Manyara National Park, providing a rare opportunity since most protected areas do not permit such activities. This allows visitors to observe nocturnal animals that are often missed during daytime safaris. Among the animals that may be seen are lion, leopard, black-backed jackal, bat-eared fox, serval, honey badger, African wild cat, spotted hyena, African civet, genet along with many other nocturnal species.
Canopy Walk
One of the many activities available in Lake Manyara National Park is canopy walking, an adventurous sport that involves walking on a 370-meter-high walkway that provides a birds-eye perspective of the park. A walk on the tree walkway starts from a short board walk raising in the altitude as walk to a series of dubious bridges. For the sake of security purposes of the travelers, the suspicion bridges have secure netting on both sides.
Visit The Maji Moto Springs
Maji Moto Springs are among the key attractions in Lake Manyara National Park that visitors can explore during a lake safari. These springs are natural sources of water and stand out as a stunning feature within the park.
BEST TIME TO VISIT LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
The best time to visit Lake Manyara is during the dry season, from June to October. The weather is warm and sunny, and the sparse vegetation makes it significantly easier to spot wildlife. There are large herds of elephant digging for water, and the fabled tree-climbing lions of Manyara can be seen.
HOW TO ACCESS LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
To access Lake Manyara National Park, visitors have the option of travelling by both road and air means. Travelers can reach the park by driving from Arusha, which provides a straightforward route to the park. Alternatively, from those choosing to fly, there are charter and domestic flights available to the airstrip within the national park.
ACCOMMODATION
The visitors visiting Lake Manyara National Park can stay at the accommodation facilities that is to say; luxury, mid-range and budget level accommodations. Such as Lake Manyara tree lodge, Acacia farm lodge, Lake Manyara Sopa Lodge, Lake Manyara Serena Lodge, Twiga lodge, Escarpment lodge, Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge, Kirurumu tented lodge, Haven nature camp, Eco Bama camp Jambo rooms and many others.
In conclusion
Lake Manyara National Park stands out as one of the top birdwatching destinations in Tanzania, making it an ideal spot for birding safari in Tanzania. The park is home to over 400 bird species and this rich diversity of avian life contributes to its reputation as one of the best locations for birding in the region
As a smaller yet remarkable park, lake manyara offers a unique experience for visitors on safari. Its stunning landscape revolves around the iconic lake, which attracts wildlife from near and far throughout the time of season, enhancing the overall appeal of the park as a must-visit destination.