Home → Destinations → Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park packs extraordinary diversity into a compact 330 km² area at the foot of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. It is famous for its tree-climbing lions — a unique behaviour documented nowhere else on such a regular basis — vast flamingo flocks on the alkaline lake, forest elephants and a spectacular forest habitat that shelters baboons, vervet monkeys and over 400 bird species. A half-day or full-day game drive here makes a perfect start to any Northern Circuit safari.
The park's groundwater forest provides habitat for large troops of olive baboon and blue monkey. Forest elephants with notably large tusks browse near the entrance. In the open grassland and acacia woodland, buffalo, impala and wildebeest graze. The lake shore attracts thousands of lesser and greater flamingos when water levels are right, along with pelicans, storks and herons. The tree-climbing lions, particularly at Mahali pa Nyati, are a remarkable and frequently photographed sight.
The western boundary of the park is the sheer face of the Rift Valley escarpment, rising 600 metres above the park floor — a dramatic backdrop to all game drives. On clear days the escarpment views from the rim are among the finest in Tanzania.
Lake Manyara is excellent year-round. Flamingos are most numerous from November to March. The dry season (June–October) is best for general wildlife viewing. Being smaller than Serengeti or Tarangire, it is rarely crowded and rewards visitors at any season.
