Lake Manyara National Park

Located on the edge of the Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park offers varied ecosystems and breath-taking views. Highlights include thousands of flamingos, as well as other large waterbirds such as pelicans, cormorants and storks.

Lake Manyara is a shallow, alkaline lake at the base of the Western Rift Valley escarpment. The park has a remarkable variety of habitats in a small area.

Known for its elephants and tree-climbing lions, Lake Manyara is also excellent for flamingos and other fascinating birds in and around the soda lake. The park entrance leads to a beautiful groundwater forest. Other habitats include the grassy floodplain, rocky escarpment and acacia woodland, all of which can be covered in a half-day visit. Deeper into the park a visit to the hot springs (Majo Moto) is recommended.

The dry winter season is the perfect time to visit if what you are after is big game viewing, while the wet summer season brings the variety of birds, as well as water-based activities, which add something special to the safari.

Mystery Gorilla Safaris Says

Lake Manyara National Park is perfectly placed for a short visit enroute to or from the Ngorongoro Crater and Highlands or the Serengeti National Park.

A narrow belt of acacia woodland is the preferred residence of Manyara’s legendary tree-climbing lions and the great tusker elephants, while a significant birdlife of more than 400 species flock from the trees to the skies and lakes.

Activities include game drives, night drives, canoeing when the water levels is sufficiently high, mountain bike tours, abseiling and forest walks on the escarpment outside the park.

There are a number of recommended lodges in the area that will be more than willing to show you Lake Manyara to its full potential; however, other lodges are perfect for guests just passing through and need a quick stop enroute to Lake Manyara's big-game neighbours.

Waterbucks

The wildlife watching is good at Lake Manyara practically all year. As a consequence, it’s high season in the park for all but two of the wetter months (April and May). That means maximum prices and lots of tourists. Most people visit the park in the afternoon, so if your itinerary allows it, an early morning visit is highly recommended.

How to Get There

The park is part of the popular northern safari circuit. Most safaris to this circuit (Manyara NP in particular) start from the town of Arusha. The best option to get there is to fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), which is situated about 46km/29mi from Arusha. It is also possible to fly into Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam and fly on to Arusha Airport (ARK) or Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) using a domestic flight.

There is also the option to book a cheap flight to Nairobi in Kenya, and take a shuttle bus to Arusha. In most cases, Mystery Gorilla Safaris driver will pick you up at the airport in Tanzania.

There are flights from Arusha and the Serengeti to Manyara's airstrip, but the trip from Arusha on the tarred road only takes 1½ hours by car. Most people do the circuit by safari vehicle, especially as the park is on the way to Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti (the other parks of the northern circuit).

Coming from the Ngorongoro Crater, the driving time is about two hours to cover the 80km/50mi. The driving time from Tarangire NP is also two hours to cover about 100km/60mi.

Airlines & Ticket Prices

Please check Skyscanner, or for multiple-destination flights check Expedia, to see which airlines can take you to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Arusha Airport (ARK), and what tickets would cost.

www.skyscanner.com

www.expedia.com

Domestic Flights

In most cases, we book your flights between parks as part of your safari package. Domestic flights can be booked with a local carrier:

Coastal Aviation flies to Manyara

Air Excel flies to Manyara

Regional Air flies to Manyara, Arusha and Kilimanjaro Airport

Safari Air Link flies to Arusha

Auric Air flies to Manyara

Air Tanzania flies to Kilimanjaro Airport

Precision Air flies to Arusha and Kilimanjaro Airport

ZanAir flies to Arusha

Lake Manyara National Park Game Viewing and Activities

From soaring groundwater forests and a tranquil lake, to the mountain escarpment of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park boasts an incredible wealth of habitats and diverse African wildlife. Guests are offered an exciting, interpretive safari experience in game-rich surroundings which include large herds of elephant and buffalo.

An incredible array of bird life thrives on the alkaline soda of Lake Manyara. Pink flamingo stoop and graze by the thousands, colourful specks against the grey minerals of the lake shore. Also seen here are Yellow-billed storks and herons, all merging together to provide a spectacular show to the onlooker. Even reluctant bird-watchers will find something to watch and marvel at within the national park.

Lake Manyara National Park is said to have the largest population of baboons in all of Africa. One of the real highlights is the flamboyance of flamingos that stain the soda lakes pink.

Kiingfisher

Lake Manyara Seasons and Climate

The climate in Lake Manyara NP is mild and temperate. The altitude ranges from 954 to 2,055m (3,130-6,742ft), and it gets cooler the higher you go. Temperatures drop by about 6.5°C for every 1,000m you climb (or 3.5°F per 1,000ft). Average temperatures are consistent throughout the year. It is very rarely hot enough to be uncomfortable, but it is almost always cold during the evening and early morning. Taking warm clothing along on early morning game drives is recommended.

Manyara's Dry season is from June to September. The Wet seasons consist of a period of ‘long rains’, which occur from March to May, and a period of ‘short rains’ occurring from October to November. Thunder and showers are common during the Wet season, but it rarely rains the whole day.

Dry season –June to October

June, July, August, September & October – Afternoon temperatures are usually around 24°C/75°F. Fair skies and sunshine are common. It is possible for the short rains to begin in October. Average evening temperatures get as cold as 14°C/57°F, and close to freezing is possible. This cold weather remains in the morning, so be sure to bring plenty of warm clothes for early game drives.

Wet season –November to May

Temperatures remain mild during the Wet season, peaking in the afternoon around 27°C/81°F. Night time temperatures are around 16°C/61°F.

November & December – 'Short rains' – These rains last about one month and can occur anytime between November and December. Afternoon showers may occur, but it is unusual for it to rain all day so it will have little impact on your trip. Temperatures during the day peak at about 27°C/81°F while the night and early morning are around 16°C/61°F.
January & February – A period of dryness is likely between the two rainy seasons, although the timing is hard to predict.
March, April & May – 'Long rains' – Although it rains daily during the wettest months, it is unusual for it to last the whole day. Clouds are usually present. The average peak temperature is 26°C/79°F, while the average low is around 16°C/61°F. It is possible for it to get even closer to freezing due to cold fronts.