Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park well known for the tree climbing lions, the soda ash lake that attracts thousands and pink flamingos, one of Tanzania’s biggest elephant population and breathtaking scenery. An integral part of the Tanzania safari experience, Lake Manyara National Park shouldn’t be overlooked in the rush to visit its more famous neighbours – the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. It literally lies down the road from the town of Arusha, Tanzania’s entry and exit point for the ‘northern safari circuit’ and makes a relaxing, breath-catching stopover for a day or two.
The Great Rift Valley.
Lying at the foot of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara is a shallow alkaline lake, the north-west of which is protected by the Lake Manyara National Park. Much of the 330km² park is taken up by the lake but one of the many surprises in store for visitors is the remarkably wide diversity of terrestrial habitats – forest, wetland, floodplain, acacia woodland – which in turn supports an equally impressive variety of wildlife.
The first thing you’ll notice on a Lake Manyara safari is the birdlife: nearly 400 species have been recorded here and it’s an excellent and easily accessible introduction to the birds of East Africa. Feathered highlights include large flocks of flamingos and many birds of prey.
More surprises lie ahead for the visitor. Besides a supporting cast of buffalo, antelope, zebra and giraffe, Lake Manyara is home to a growing elephant population while the park’s lions have developed the intriguing habit of climbing trees. The ever-elusive leopard occurs in the park while boat cruises will take you in search of snorting hippo pods and basking crocodiles.
When to Visit Lake Manyara National Park
It is considered as an all year round Tanzania safari destination however the dry season from June to October is considered the best time for game viewing. Unlike the more Savanna dominated parks, its ground water forests give you superior change of the scenery. In the peak tourist season, the northern section of the park is very crowded especially in the mornings for most of the year that is to say in June to October; however in the months of March and April the park is experiencing rains which makes it the low tourist season.
Seasons in the Park.
The dry season during the months of June to October, and this is also referred to as the peak tourist season. The short dry season comes in January and February with large number of tourists flooding the park which results into more costly safari tours as the demand on accommodation is generally high. During that time of the year, the animals gather around the few remaining water sources and because the vegetation is thin they can easily be spotted. This time of the year is also highly recommended to visit as there is a lot of sun with little rains. It tends to get cold in the mornings and you are therefore advised to bring warm clothes for the early morning game drives during this time of the year.
The wet season in lake Manyara is from November to May, the coming of the rains brings life to park’s terrain with the dried vegetation thriving again and be a beautiful green sceneries this low season season is less crowded. Migratory birds are seen in the park during the wet season, it is a great time for bird lovers. Due to the rain most roads in the park may become very hard to traverse especially months of April and May.
How to get to Lake Manyara National Park.
It is about 1 to 2 hours drive from Arusha town to entrance gate, from the main gate the road is to the park is well surfaced while the inner roads requires to use 4×4 vehicles. Before entry at the gate will drive through Mto wa mbu town where you can visit the local market in that area. This town is home to a number of indigenous tribes who since the colonial time have lived and traded here.
What to do in Lake Manyara Nationa Park
Lake Manyara Nationa park is a great breath takings tourist destination in Northern Tanzania, offering the memorable experience to tourist visiting the park, safari activities offered in this park includes, Day game drive, Night game drive, Walking Safaris, Bird watching, Boat riding/canoeing and lake manyara tree walk away.
