Lake Manyara National Park

Park size330 km²

Suggested visitHalf or full day

DeparturesPrivate or small group

PriceQuoted on request

Lake Manyara National Park

Forest, escarpment and a soda lake full of birds

Lake Manyara squeezes an unusual variety of habitats into a narrow strip between the Great Rift Valley escarpment and a shallow alkaline lake. You enter through dense groundwater forest fed by springs, emerge into acacia woodland where elephant and baboon troops feed, and finish on open floodplain where flamingos, pelicans and storks line the shore.

It is a natural half-day stop on the drive from Arusha or Tarangire up to Ngorongoro, and the park's compact size means a short visit still delivers plenty. The escarpment viewpoints on the way out are some of the best photo stops in northern Tanzania.

Highlights

Reasons to include Manyara

Groundwater forest with blue monkeys and huge fig trees
Large baboon troops — among the biggest in Africa
Flamingos and over 400 recorded bird species
Hippo pool and Maji Moto hot springs
Treetop canopy walkway and night game drives

Photographs

What it looks like

Zebras grazing on the floor of the Ngorongoro Crater

Maasai community members in traditional dress near the Serengeti

See the full gallery →

Questions

Questions about this trip

Is Lake Manyara worth visiting?

As a half-day stop between Arusha and the Ngorongoro highlands, yes. The groundwater forest, hippo pools and escarpment views are unlike anything else on the circuit, and the birding is exceptional. If time is tight, most travellers prioritise Tarangire instead.

Will I see tree-climbing lions?

Manyara is famous for them, but they are not guaranteed — sightings are occasional and depend on where the prides are hunting. Treat it as a bonus rather than the reason to go.

What else can you do at Lake Manyara?

Night game drives, canoeing when water levels allow, mountain-bike tours on the escarpment and a treetop canopy walkway 18 metres above the forest floor.

Enquiry

Request a free, no-obligation quote

We do not publish fixed prices, because no two trips are the same. Tell us your dates and what you would like to see, and a local guide — not a call centre — will send you a tailored itinerary and a personal quote.