Have seen almost all travelers to Tanzania heading to the famous Serengeti national park for its vast wildlife density and the great migration of the wildebeests.
Another load of tourists has hit Ngorongoro crater, its being listed among the ten natural wonders of the world. The number of tourists to this Africa’s Eden increases day by day. Hundreds of travelers come to witness the thousands of different wildlife species that call the world’s largest intact caldera a home.
Surprising, all trips to these two amazing destinations pass by Lake Manyara national park. It is one of the small and lessened national parks in Tanzania. Even if this pocket size park may lack the huge variety of wildlife like all other destinations in the northern circuit, there is a pretty good number of attractions that your eyes would love to behold in Lake Manyara national park.
Tanzania having one main north-south route, Lake Manyara is located on the way to Serengeti national park and Ngorongoro crater. This makes it a perfect stop over worth for a day in its water forests, baobab strewn cliffs and bush plains.
Lake Manyara’s position below the cliffs of the Manyara escarpment, at the edge of the rift valley, the park has various ecosystems, amazing bird life, several wildlife species and breathtaking scenic views. If you ever question yourself about visiting this stunning park, think of the incredible attractions your eyes will miss out on a Tanzania safari.
Wildlife. With the varied ecosystems, from the bush plains, water forests to the baobab strewn cliffs, Lake Manyara national park attracts numerous wildlife species to call it a home. This amazing park is popularly known for highest concentration of elephants in Tanzania, occasionally tourists spot huge elephant families on game drives here. More to wildlife, Lake Manyara is still the only park in Tanzania with the rare tree climbing lions, only known here and Uganda’s Ishasha sector in Queen Elizabeth national park in the whole of East Africa. Other wildlife species that dwell here are zebras, antelopes, zebras, hippos, monkeys and many others.
Birdlife. Lake Manyara national park is a home to countless bird species, having varied ecosystems, the park is a wonderful and worthwhile destination for bird lovers. The most famous birds here are the migrant flamingos that fill up Lake Manyara sometimes turning the lake pink. Other bird species spotted at Lake Manyara are the pelicans, storks, herons, geese, and cormorants which are also sea birds. In the bush plains of Lake Manyara national park there also different bird species that can be spotted on game drives or nature walks.
Lake Manyara. This is one of the small lakes in Tanzania located in the East African Rift valley in Manyara region. It is an alkaline lake covering one third of the park and one of the major features to behold while in Lake Manyara national park. Being a soda ash lake, it considerably shrinks in the dry season, and in the rain season, the lake hosts millions of flamingos and other sea birds, sometimes even turning the lake vibrant pink.
Hot springs. Called the Maji Moto Kubwa hot spring, located in a large swampy area on the western shores of Lake Manyara, these hot springs are so underrated by tourists to the park. Several hot springs seep from the nearby rift valley wall, bubbling out hot water boiling at almost 60 degrees. Tourists have boiled eggs here just to test the hotness of the water bubbled out.
Still tourists to Lake Manyara national park could visit the Maasai village for a cultural retreat with the most famous tribe in East Africa. Alternatively, have a canoeing experience on the lake, enjoy night game drives as well as visiting the Mererani Tanzanite mine.
For accommodation, there are campsites and treehouse camps inside the park for a more authentic and thrilling experience on your safari in Tanzania. If not this, travelers can still stay in the lodges and hotels outside the park.
If it’s a safari in Tanzania, whether to Serengeti national park, Ngorongoro conservation area or Zanzibar beaches, let it not pass by Lake Manyara national park.
