Arusha Region · northern Tanzania

Lake Manyara National Park

A narrow strip between the Rift wall and a soda lake, with groundwater forest at its northern end.

Country: Tanzania
Typical access: Road from Arusha
Usual stay: 1 night, or a half-day visit in transit
Terrain: Groundwater forest, acacia woodland, alkaline lake, Rift escarpment

Overview

What Lake Manyara is.

Manyara is small and unusually layered. In a few kilometres you move from dense groundwater forest fed by springs at the base of the Rift escarpment, through acacia woodland, to open floodplain and the shore of a shallow alkaline lake.

That compression is what makes it interesting: blue and vervet monkeys and baboon troops in the forest, elephant in the woodland, and flamingo, pelican and hippo on the lake edge, all within one drive.

It is most often used as the first park on a Tanzanian circuit, a half-day from Arusha, before the road climbs to Ngorongoro.

Wildlife

What you are likely to see.

Large baboon troops and blue monkeys in the groundwater forest
Elephant in the acacia woodland
Lion, which are sometimes seen resting in trees here
Hippo, flamingo and pelican on the lake
Over 400 recorded bird species

Experiences

How the days work here.

Groundwater forest drive
Dense forest at the park entrance, fed by springs from the escarpment.
Lake-shore floodplain
Open ground with hippo pools, flamingo and waterbirds.
Mto wa Mbu
The market town at the park gate, and the usual base for budget and midrange stays.