Lake Manyara National Park is one of the angelic destinations of Tanzania, it is angelically situated along the floor of the Rift Valley region, the protected conservation area is famous for the tree-climbing lions, which have uniquely adapted to the nature of climbing on trees, in Tanzania they are found only in here and the Serengeti National park, Lake Manyara stands as the smallest of conservation areas of the country covering an area space of approximately 330 square kilometres. The Lake Manyara is a soda ash lake hosting many pink flamingoes and pelicans, it occupies most parts of the conservation area.
Lake Manyara National Park was gazette as a conservation area in 1960, it boats a wide range of stunning amazing biodiverse environments including acacia woodlands, rocky kopjes, slopping hills, marshy swampy areas, equatorial forest, savannah grasslands and hot springs called Maji Moto, a drive through the ecosystem is a fascinating experience there is so much rawness and adventure throughout the park, despite it not having as many species as the other conservation areas of northern Tanzania it is just a perfect place to view wildlife.
Attractions of Lake Manyara National Park include Lake Manyara itself, the lake is home to many birds, most of these are flamingoes and pelicans the Lake, hippos, and other species of the park flood the region to drink some water, and the hot springs are proof of the formation of the great rift valley, the hot spring water is clean in that guests can decide to take a shower, the ground water forest, this is drained by the streams of the region and is consistently wet, there are hundreds of olive baboons with in the forest region, antelopes and birds.
Wildlife of Lake Manyara national park there are several animal species in the ecosystem, for example, the African elephants, zebras, giraffes, impalas, warthogs, klipspringer, man goose, bushbucks, hippos, crocodiles, Thomson’s gazelles, dik-dik, tree climbing lions to mention a few and over 450 species of birds, for guests interested in birds, the park is a real paradise of birds expect to see pelicans, pink flamingoes, grey crowned cranes, African harrier hawks, ground hornbills, cuckoo, African fish eagles, weaver birds, secretary birds, the best time to go birding in the national park is during the wet season when it receives migratory species. Most of the park species are endemics of the Rift Valley region.
Lake Manyara offers the best tourism activities from game drives, this is the most done activity of savannah parks, it is conducted using 4×4 wheel car drives through the well-distributed trails of the national park, it takes 2-3 hours of game drives, lake Manyara national park is one of the few places of Tanzania where doing night game drives is allowed. The morning time is the best recommended to do game drives when animals are active.
Birding in Lake Manyara National Park, the lake itself is a haven for birds, there are more than 400 species of birds that have been recorded in the national park, some of these are forest birds, and endemics of the Great Rift Valley region, to enjoy a birding experience, example species include flycatchers, woodpeckers, herons, hornbills, egrets, pelicans, to mention a few. it is wise to carry binoculars, good cameras, hiking boots, hand gloves, and any other items of a personal nature.
Guided nature walks, walks take 2-3 hours through the well-distributed trails of the national park, guests can choose to have longer walks depending on the time they have, all walks are ledby an experienced knowledgeable guide whowill tell you about park species, expect to see mammals en route for example hippos and African elephants.
Lake Manyara National Park can be reached by road from Arusha city, it is approximately 126 kilometers, and it takes like 2 hours to the conservation area, there are scheduled or charter fights to Lake Manyara airstrip. The park can be visited any time of the year but best during the dry season between December -February and June – September when the trails are drier, it is also a high tourism season.
In conclusion, Lake Manyara is a not-to-miss place while on your Tanzanian safari experience, there is available accommodation in Lake Manyara National Park ranging from the best budget to luxury, example facilities include Lake Manyara tree house, Lake Manyara Serena, Flamingo safari Lodge, Lake Burunge tented camp among others. It is possible to visit Lake Manyara National Park together with other places in the northern circuit of Tanzania.