Tanzania is well known for its beautiful national parks and large wildlife populations, with many parks hosting the big five animals. The country is in East Africa, bordered by Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Mozambique, Zambia, Burundi, Malawi, the Indian Ocean, and the Comoro Islands.
Tanzania is also home to Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. Below, we look at Lake Manyara National Park, one of Tanzania’s most beautiful parks.
Lake Manyara is a beautiful park located at the edge of the great East African Rift Valley. The park covers an area of 330 square kilometers, with a shallow soda ash lake taking up 77 percent of the park’s total area. More than 670 types of flowering plants and ferns grow in Lake Manyara.
The park has savannah grasslands, lakes, groundwater forests, acacia woodlands, baobab-covered cliffs, marshlands, and algae-covered hot springs. These support many types of wildlife and birds in this small area.
Lake Manyara is famous for its tree-climbing lions and has the highest number of baboons in the world. Ernest Hemingway called the park “the loveliest he had seen in Africa.”
The park was created in 1960 and is managed by the Tanzania National Parks Authority.
The park is named after Lake Manyara, a shallow alkaline lake at 960 meters above sea level. The lake has no outflow and is fed by underground springs and permanent streams.
Sometimes, during the dry season, the lake dries up completely because the water evaporates. The lake is also home to an endangered fish found only in Tanzania called Oreochromis amphimelas.
Entry Fee
The entry fee to Lake Manyara National Park is $54 for foreign non-resident adults and $18 for foreign non-resident children. Foreign residents and East African citizens pay in Tanzanian shillings.
Park fees can change each year, so it is best to check the current price before traveling.
History
In the 1920s, Lake Manyara was a popular place for sport hunting. In 1957, it was declared a game reserve, and later became a national park in 1960. In 1974, 550 hectares were added to the southern part of the park.
In 1981, UNESCO named Lake Manyara a Biosphere Reserve and included it in the Man and Biosphere Programme. Near the park is a 45,000-acre former livestock ranch called Manyara Ranch.
Since 2001, it has been managed by the Tanzania Land Conservation Trust. The ranch is part of a corridor that helps wildlife move between Lake Manyara National Park and Tarangire National Park.
Lake Manyara was once known for its black rhinos, but heavy poaching caused them to disappear by 1996.
Reedbucks, present in 1984, were also gone by 1996. The elephant population was high but dropped between 1985 and 1991 due to poaching.
Animals
Lake Manyara is known for its tree-climbing lions, found only here and in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. Other animals include elephants, dik-dik, wildebeests, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, hippos, cheetahs, hyenas, Thomson’s gazelles, olive baboons, bushbucks, impalas, blue monkeys, warthogs, klipspringers, and many more. The best times to see animals are early morning and late afternoon.
Birding
Lake Manyara is a bird watcher’s dream with over 400 species recorded. Birds found here include the yellow-billed stork, Von der Decken’s hornbill, saddle-billed stork, little stint, lesser flamingo, southern ground hornbill, pied avocet, silvery-cheeked hornbill, Abdim’s stork, African fish eagle, African hawk owl, Baglafecht weaver, comb duck, crowned eagle, great white pelican, grey crowned crane, African jacana, hammerkop, Hottentot teal, sacred ibis, spur-winged goose, and pink-backed pelican. The best time for bird watching is November to April when migratory birds from Europe and North Africa arrive.
Walking Safaris
You can get close to wildlife by taking a guided nature walk with an armed ranger. These walks happen along the edge of the Rift Valley, offering great views of the lake and park below. You will see many primates, birds, and other wildlife during the walk.
Location
Lake Manyara is 125 kilometers southwest of Arusha town. You can reach the park by road from Dar es Salaam or fly to Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport, then take a short drive to the Manyara airstrip and the park.
Best Time to Visit
You can visit Lake Manyara all year, but the best time to see wildlife is during the dry season from June to October. During this time, animals gather near water, and the plants are less thick, making it easier to see them.
Bird watchers should visit between November and May when migratory birds are present.
This is also the best time for photography. Wildlife is most active early in the morning and late in the afternoon when nocturnal animals return to their dens or start hunting.
Accommodation
Lake Manyara offers many places to stay, from budget to luxury. Where you sleep depends on your budget.
Some options include Beyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge, Tree House Suites, Manyara Wildlife Safari Camp, Serena Lake Manyara, Lake Manyara Kilimamoja, Kirurumu Manyara, Escarpment Lodge, Plantation Lodge, Manyara Ranch Conservancy, Isoitok Camp Manyara, Lake Burunge Tented Camp, Haven Nature Camp and Lodge, Lemala Manyara Camp, Eunoto Retreat Manyara, Kiboko Bush Camp, Lake Manyara View Lodge, Oremiti Tented Lodge, Losirwa Camp, Migunga Tented Camp, Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge, and Twiga Camp.
