National Park · Northern
Lake Manyara National Park
A shallow soda lake beneath the Rift wall, often turned pink with flamingos.
Overview
Lake Manyara is small but wonderfully varied. A shallow alkaline lake sits at the foot of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, fringed by groundwater forest, open floodplain and acacia woodland. You can cross several different habitats in a single morning, which is part of its charm.
What you will see
The park is famous for its tree-climbing lions, a behaviour seen in only a handful of places on Earth. Large troops of baboons, elephants, giraffe and hippo live here, and the lake draws thousands of flamingos and a remarkable variety of water birds.
When to go
The dry season from June to October is best for mammals. The wet season from November to May is the time for flamingos and birdlife, when the lake is fullest.
Highlights
- Tree-climbing lions
- Flamingos on the soda lake
- Over four hundred bird species
- A quick, rewarding stop on the northern route
How it fits your journey
Usually visited alongside Tarangire, the Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
Tailor-made
Make Lake Manyara National Park part of your journey
There are no fixed packages, we build every trip around you. Explore the kinds of journeys we plan, or tell us your dates and we will start drawing.