The protected area Lake Manyara national park is one of Tanzania’s spectacular places due to its unique location at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. The park’s habitats range from evergreen groundwater forest, open floodplains, acacia woodland, wetlands, hot springs and the alkaline waters of Lake Manyara. Which support rich in biodiversity including tree climbing lions, large elephant herds, and excellent birdlife including lesser and greater flamingos. The varied habitats and wildlife make for a must-visit gem for a keen photographer.
Location of Lake Manyara National Park in the Northern Safari Circuit
The park is approximately 120 km (2-hour drive) southwest of Arusha, 230 km (4-hour drive) from Kilimanjaro international airport and 90 km (1-hour drive) from Tarangire. This location makes for a convenient place to add to your itinerary through northern Tanzania. A longer itinerary can connect Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro and Serengeti, thereby completing a comprehensive wildlife, ecological, and cultural expedition.
Mto wa Mbu Town and Lake Manyara
The town of Mto wa Mbu is 3 km from the park’s main entrance gate and serves as a logistical hub with banks, forex bureaus, restaurants, food markets, shops and fuel stations. All supplies needed for your onward journey can be found there. In addition to being a safari hub, Mto wa Mbu is also a multi-cultural and agricultural hub. Over 120 ethnic groups make this relatively small town their home with some being farmers growing rice and bananas and others painters, artisans and craftsmen with functional enterprises. A cultural tour in Mto wa Mbu with a local guide offers an opportunity to explore everyday East African local life. It can be done through a guided walking or cycling tour through the fields and plantations. Meet a farmer and learn about their irrigation and settle in the market or restaurant and try traditional home-cooked dishes such as Machalari, the Chagga people’s rich delicacy of stew made from green and red bananas cooked with beef, carrots, and smooth coconut milk. Banana and millet are fermented together to make local beer known as Mbege. It is sweet and sour and has a rough porridge-like texture.
The Great Rift Valley Landscape of Lake Manyara
Being located at the base of the steep western wall of the Rift Valley, Manyara is defined by unique rift valley features including an escarpment, groundwater forests, hot springs, and alkaline lake.
Lake Manyara Groundwater Forest
One of Lake Manyara’s most important ecological features is its groundwater forest. The forest is sustained by underground water flowing from the surrounding highlands. This keeps it lush and evergreen in an area where the surrounding landscape can become relatively drier. The forest contains tall evergreen trees including mahogany, figs, Trichilia roka, Forest Toad-Tree (Tabernaemontana ventricosa), yellow fever. Their height and density create a dense canopy of vegetation providing habitat for primates and birds. This forest becomes important for wildlife during the dry season due to the permanent water sources that help maintain vegetation green and fresh. Blue monkeys and baboons are among the most common mammals in the forest. Large troops may be seen moving through the canopy, feeding beside roads or gathering around forest edges. Bushbuck also occur in this habitat. The forest is excellent for birdwatching, with forest species using the canopy, understory and forest margins.
Marang Forest
A large evergreen block covering 230 sq. km Marang Forest lies to the southwest corner of the park. Walking experiences in and around offer a different perspective from a game drive vehicle based safari for those intending to track wildlife, explore plants, birds and insects.
The soda lake
Lake Manyara is a shallow alkaline lake lying at the bottom of the larger depression surrounded by habitats such as mudflats and wetland that attract water birds of which Lesser and greater flamingos are the most recognisable seasonal visitors. Flamingos on Lake Manyara gather along suitable sections of the lake, feeding in the shallow alkaline waters. Their numbers and distribution vary according to water conditions, food availability and season, so seeing enormous concentrations should be understood as a natural spectacle rather than a guaranteed daily occurrence. According to TANAPA, the lake is an important feeding ground for lesser flamingos and over 400 bird species are recorded in the park including Pelicans, storks, herons, spoonbills among other wetland species that use the lake and its margins. With both forest and water species, Lake Manyara offers a diverse birding experience that’s hard to replicate in any other single park.
A dynamic landscape
Lake Manyara’s water level changes over time, affecting the shape of the shoreline, wetlands and feeding areas available to birds. This is part of what makes the lake ecologically interesting and why photographs and descriptions of Manyara can look very different from one season or year to another.
Wildlife in Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara is not Tanzania’s largest wildlife destination, but it is one of the country’s most diverse. The park supports elephants, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, hippos, primates and a range of antelope species. Predators include lions and leopards. The experience is less about covering enormous distances in search of herds and more about moving through a sequence of different habitats, each with its own species and tranquility.
Tree-Climbing Lions
Lions that are capable of climbing trees are found in a few places in Africa. Manyara has become particularly associated with the behaviour along with Uganda’s Ishasha wilderness in Kazinga national park. They tend to climb into the branches of large trees and rest above the ground, sometimes using the elevated position to escape heat, insects or simply to find a comfortable resting place. Seeing the pride of lions in a tree depends on nature and not something a safari guide or operator can guarantee.
Elephants of Lake Manyara
The park has long been associated with elephant research, including pioneering work by elephant researcher Iain Douglas-Hamilton. Elephants use several habitats within the park, moving between woodland, forest and more open areas in response to food and water. The opportunity to see elephants against the backdrop of the forest, lake or Rift Valley escarpment gives Manyara a visual character quite different from elephant encounters in more open savanna landscapes like Serengeti.
Buffalo, Zebra, Wildebeest and Giraffe
The open areas of Manyara serve as grazing grounds for some of East African common herbivores including Cape buffalo, zebra, wildebeest and giraffe. These may be encountered around the floodplain and woodland and giraffes prefer areas with a mixture of woodland and open areas, where they browse on vegetation above the reach of many others.
Hippos spend much of the day in water and are often associated with the lake and wetland areas. They are powerful and potentially dangerous animals, so visitors should remain inside vehicles or at designated viewing areas and follow the guide’s instructions. TANAPA specifically advises visitors to maintain a safe distance around hippo pools and other picnic areas.
Primates of the Groundwater Forest
Manyara’s forest is home to blue monkeys and baboons among other smaller mammals and birds. The combination of primates, forest birds and wetland species is one of Manyara’s strengths.
Birds of Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara is one of the most interesting birding destinations on the Northern Tanzania circuit. According to TANAPA, there are over 400 bird species in the park ranging from aquatic, forest, woodland, open savanna habitats and migratory species. The lake and wetlands attract flamingos, pelicans, storks, herons and other water-dependent species. The best birding opportunities can change with water levels and seasonal conditions. Forest birds occurring in the groundwater forest include emerald cuckoo, Narina Tragon, Schalow’s Turaco (Tauraco schalowi), crowned hornbill, and Silvery-cheeked Hornbill. Migratory birds arrive in Lake Manyara between November and April and the species that tend to visit the park include Marsh and Common sandpiper, Little stint, among others such as Eurasian roller. For keen birdwatchers, the park should be considered as a birding destination of its own.
The Lake Manyara Canopy Walkway
The canopy walkway offers a completely different way to see the landscape and wildlife as you move above the forest floor along a suspended walkway with viewing platforms. TANAPA’s archives describe the walkway as approximately 370 metres long and reaching about 15-18 metres above the ground. Wildlife from the canopy changes what visitors can see. Blue monkeys, baboons, forest birds and butterflies may be encountered along the walkway. Looking down into the forest also reveals how different the habitat appears from above compared with a conventional game drive.
Hot Springs and Other Natural Attractions
Lake Manyara contains several smaller attractions that help make the park more than a game-drive destination.
Maji Moto Hot Springs
The Maji Moto hot springs are associated with geothermal activity beneath the Rift Valley landscape. Hot water emerges from the ground and creates mineral-rich surfaces and unique vegetation around the springs. TANAPA notes that the water can reach very high temperatures of up to 40°C to over 60°C (104°F-158°F) hot enough to boil an egg)and not safe for swimming or bathing.
Things to Do in Lake Manyara National Park
Day Game Drives
Game drives remain the main way to explore Lake Manyara. The park’s road network passes through several habitats, allowing visitors to experience the rapid transition from groundwater forest to woodland, floodplain and lakeshore.
Birdwatching
Birdwatching can be incorporated into a normal game drive or planned as a more specialised activity. Travellers should allow time to stop, scan the trees and wetlands and listen for birds rather than treating the park only as a big-game destination.
Canopy Walkway
The canopy walkway is one of Manyara’s signature experiences and is particularly worthwhile for travellers who want to experience the groundwater forest from a different perspective.
Walking Safaris
Guided walking experiences can provide closer attention to plants, tracks, insects, birds and smaller wildlife. Walking should only take place where authorised and with the appropriate guide or ranger.
Night Game Drives
Night game drives are available where permitted and provide a different view of Manyara’s wildlife. Nocturnal species become more active after dark, while predators and other animals may behave differently from during daylight. TANAPA lists night game drives among the park’s activities.
Canoeing
Canoeing can be available when lake water conditions permit. Because Lake Manyara’s water levels fluctuate, canoeing should be treated as a seasonal activity rather than a guaranteed experience.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Lake Manyara?
Lake Manyara can be visited throughout the year, but the best period depends on what you want to experience.
Dry Season
The dry season generally provides easier wildlife viewing because vegetation becomes less dense and animals concentrate around remaining water sources. Road conditions are also generally easier than during periods of heavy rain.
Wet Season
The wetter months transform the park.
The forest becomes particularly lush, migratory birds arrive, and the landscape around the lake can become exceptionally attractive. For photographers and birdwatchers, these conditions can be rewarding even though some roads may become more challenging.
Best Time for Bird watching
Birdwatching can be excellent throughout the year, but seasonal migrants can make particular periods especially rewarding. The lake’s bird populations also respond to changing water conditions, so the exact concentration of birds varies from year to year.
How Long Should You Spend in Lake Manyara National Park?
Lake Manyara can work as either a short visit or an overnight destination.
One-Day Visit
A day visit can work well for travellers following the northern circuit who want to experience the forest, wildlife and lake before continuing to Ngorongoro.
One Night in Manyara
An overnight stay provides more flexibility and reduces the pressure to cover the park quickly. It can also allow travellers to combine a game drive with other experiences such as the canopy walkway, birdwatching or a cultural visit around Mto wa Mbu.
Two or More Nights
Longer stays make the most sense for specialist interests such as birding, photography, walking or slower-paced exploration. For a conventional northern Tanzania safari, however, many travellers will find that one full day or one night provides a useful introduction to the park.
Where to Stay for Lake Manyara
Accommodation can be found both inside and around the park.
Lodges and Camps Near the Park
Mto wa Mbu and the surrounding area provide a range of accommodation, while Karatu offers a larger selection of safari lodges and guesthouses. TANAPA notes that visitors can also stay in accommodation within the park, although capacity is more limited.
Choosing Where to Stay
Your accommodation choice should depend on the wider itinerary.
If Manyara is part of a route toward Ngorongoro, staying around Mto wa Mbu or Karatu can make logistical sense. If Manyara is the main focus of the trip, staying closer to the park can provide more time in the landscape.
Getting to Lake Manyara National Park
By Road
Road travel is the most common way to reach Manyara.
From Arusha, the journey is approximately 125 km and takes around two to two and a half hours under good conditions.
By Air
Manyara Airstrip receives scheduled and charter flights.
Flying can be useful for travellers connecting Manyara with other safari destinations without returning to Arusha.
From Tarangire
Lake Manyara fits naturally after Tarangire on a northern circuit itinerary.
The two parks offer useful ecological contrasts: Tarangire is strongly associated with elephants, baobabs and the Tarangire River, while Manyara is characterised by groundwater forest, wetlands, lake habitats and Rift Valley scenery.
From Ngorongoro
Manyara also works naturally before or after Ngorongoro.
The route from Mto wa Mbu toward Karatu and the Ngorongoro highlands makes it possible to combine the two destinations without a major detour.
Lake Manyara Travel Tips
- Carry binoculars if you enjoy birdwatching.
- Bring sun protection and drinking water.
- Use insect repellent, particularly around wetter areas and at dusk.
- Stay inside your vehicle except at designated areas.
- Never approach elephants, hippos or lions.
- Do not feed baboons or monkeys around picnic areas.
- Remain on designated roads and boardwalks.
- Follow the instructions of your guide and TANAPA rangers.
- Check activity availability before travelling, particularly for canoeing and other water-based experiences.
- Allow enough time to experience the forest rather than rushing through the park looking only for large mammals.
TANAPA specifically advises visitors to remain on designated roads and boardwalks, avoid feeding wildlife, maintain safe distances and follow ranger instructions.
Why Lake Manyara Belongs on a Tanzania Safari. Lake Manyara’s importance is not based on having the largest herds or the most famous migration.
Its strength is variety.
In one relatively compact landscape, the safari moves from evergreen forest to open woodland, from floodplain to alkaline lake, and from lakeshore wetlands to the dramatic wall of the Great Rift Valley. That variety also changes the wildlife experience. You can spend part of the morning watching elephants beneath forest trees, search the woodland for a lion resting in a branch, stop beside wetlands filled with waterbirds and flamingos, and then look toward the escarpment rising above the entire scene. That is what makes Lake Manyara national park different from the larger parks farther north.
Explore More of Northern Tanzania
- Serengeti National Park – wildlife, vast plains and the Great Wildebeest Migration.
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area – crater landscapes, wildlife and archaeological heritage.
- Tarangire National Park – elephants, baobabs and seasonal wildlife concentrations.
- Mount Kilimanjaro – Tanzania’s highest mountain and one of Africa’s great trekking destinations.
- Olduvai Gorge – archaeology and the story of human evolution.
- Great Wildebeest Migration – follow the annual movement of wildebeest and other herbivores across the Serengeti ecosystem.
- Tanzania – return to the complete country guide.