Overview
Lake Manyara National Park is located in Manyara and Arusha regions in Tanzania. It covers an area of 325 km2. It is popular for its tree-climbing lions. Its habitats attract many other species of mammals and birds. It has stunning scenery and good weather. Here are some of the reasons why you should visit Lake Manyara National Park.
Lake Manyara National Park is rich in wildlife. It is known for its thriving population of tree-climbing lions. These animals spend most of their time on trees. They only come down when temperatures are cooler. It is home to many baboons. You can spot troops of about 200 members in the park. Other Lake Manyara National Park animals are tusked elephants, hippos, zebras, buffalos, leopards, and wildebeests among others. You can enjoy wildlife viewing in the park across the year. But the dry season is the best time. This is between June and October. It is much easier to spot animals when vegetation is thinner.
Birdlife
Lake Manyara National Park is a great place to enjoy watching birds. It has recorded over 350 species. During a one-day Lake Manyara National Park safari, you can spot over 100 species. The most common species are the Silvery-cheeked hornbill, Glossy ibis, and Black heron. The best time to watch birds is between November and April. This is when migratory birds from northern Africa and Europe are present in the park.
Scenery
Lake Manyara National Park scenery is beautiful. Lake Manyara itself is a beautiful feature in the park. It is found at the base of an escarpment. A lovely groundwater forest is located at the entrance of the park. The park has several habitats including acacia woodland, grassy floodplains, and ever-green forests. It also hosts hot springs which is a must-visit during a Lake Manyara National Park safari.
Lake Manyara National Park weather
Lake Manyara National Park’s weather is quite good. Daytime temperatures are around 29°C during the wet season. This is from November to May. The dry season is between June and October. The weather is cooler during this season. It is a great time for most of the park activities.
FAQs About Lake Manyara National Park
- Where is Lake Manyara National Park located?
Lake Manyara National Park is located about 126 km west of the town of Arusha. It is in the northern part of Tanzania. It is between the Great Rift Valley and Lake Manyara. Its coordinates are 3.4459° S and 35.8093° E. You can easily get there by road from Arusha.
- Why visit Lake Manyara National Park?
Visitors enjoy closer views of large herds of elephants in the park. They enjoy game drives in the park to explore the impressive wilderness. You can enjoy tracking the tree-climbing lions. You can enjoy watching birds such as pink flamingos at Lake Manyara. You will love its breathtaking view.
- Best time to visit Lake Manyara National Park?
The best time to visit Lake Manyara National Park is during the dry season. This is between July and November. Animals gather around water sources making it easier to spot them. But the park is open across the year. Many tourists visit the park in all months except for April and May, which are the wettest months.
- How to get to Lake Manyara National Park?
Lake Manyara National Park is in the northern safari circuit in Tanzania. You can get there by road. From your destination, you will land at Julius Nyerere or Kilimanjaro International Airport. Kilimanjaro is about 46 km from Arusha. From here, your tour operator will drive you to the park. Julius Nyerere is in Dar Es Salaam. From here, you can take a flight to Kilimanjaro or Arusha airports. Then, you will enjoy a drive to the park. This takes about 1½ hours. But you can also fly to the Manyara airstrip to avoid road travel.