Lake Manyara National Park Tanzania
Lake Manyara National Park is located in the regions of Arusha and Manyara in Tanzania. Lake Manyara National Park is located in the Great Rift Valley. The area was utilized for sports hunting before a Game Reserve was established in 1957. In 1960 it was designated as a national park and it covers 325 kilometers. The biggest part of the park is occupied by Lake Manyara.
Best time to visit Lake Manyara National Park
The best months of the year to visit the park for a Tanzania tour is during the dry season in the months with the lowest rainfall. These are the months of July, August, and September which are the driest months of the year, and the warmest months are January, February, and March. These months have the lowest average number of rainy days as well as the highest average high temperature.
There are two rainy seasons with the short rains from November to December and the long rains from March to May. The wettest month with the highest rainfall is April with the highest number of rainy days. During the rainy season, it is not recommended to undertake tours to Lake Manyara National Park since wildlife viewing isn’t that amazing with the weather disrupting viewing and photography.
Attractions in Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park has a wide range of attractions including the occasional tree-climbing lions, large herds of elephants, giraffes, leopards, impalas, bushbuck, hippos, warthogs, spotted hyenas, zebras, wildebeests. Primates include; vervet monkeys, blue monkeys.
Lake Manyara is known for thousands of Flamingos but also Lake Manyara National Park has a variety of bird species and these include; Great White Pelican, Yellow-billed stock, Marabou stork, Ayer’s hawk-eagle, egrets, Sacred ibis, Saddle-billed stork, stilts herons, spoonbills.
The Great Rift Valley escarpments provide a great view for tourists visiting the park.
Here are some of the activities to engage in when visiting Manyara National Park.
Bird watching, Game drives, Cultural visits, Nature walks, Canoeing, Biking,
Bird Watching
Lake Manyara National Park is a bird sanctuary with a big number of bird species and this makes it an ideal stop for birders. Besides the large flocks of flamingos, there are several other bird species that can be observed at Lake Manyara. During the dry season, migratory bird species are spotted around Lake Manyara
Game drives
Game drives in Manyara National Park are offered in two sessions. Tourists can opt for a Day game drive or a Night game drive.
Day Game Drive
The day game drive can take place very early in the morning or in the afternoon. These present a possibility for tourists to observe a good number of animals and these include; elephants, wildebeest, impala, gazelles, warthog, hyenas, waterbuck, monkeys. Baboons can be sighted in the forests while driving through the park. Countless bird species are also seen on the shores of Lake Manyara, mostly flamingos, storks, pelicans, and many others.
Night Game Drive
Manyara National Park is one of few parks that perform night game drives. Nocturnal animals are the most spotted during night game drives as they come out to look for prey. Animals such as leopards, civet cats, porcupines, and genets may be seen.
There are trails in Manyara National Park that can be used for game drives and these run across the green vegetation and woodlands.
Canoeing/Boat rides
Manyara National Park provides canoeing safaris and these happen on Lake Manyara. This fascinating activity allows tourists to enjoy beautiful sceneries as you paddle along the lake, sights of hippos in the water, elephants, giraffes, and buffaloes grazing, and several species of birds including pelicans, flamingos, and storks.
Cultural Visit
The early inhabitants of Lake Manyara National Park were the local Masaai people with a unique culture. The cultural visit takes place in a small town known as ‘Mto Wa Mto’ named after the “river of mosquitoes”. Tourists experience the nomadic way of life of the Masaai people but also take part in some of the activities like the village walk and appreciating the Masaai traditional homes “Manyattas” made out of local materials, traditional dance, and traditional song performances. The mesmerizing traditional dress code with colors (red, white, yellow, blue, black, and green) of symbolism in the culture. Tourists can also purchase local products sold in the Masaai market.
A tree walkway on Lake Manyara
The walkway is raised in the sky as a suspension bridge with secure netting on both sides. It offers a great view for bird watching.
Cycling in Lake Manyara National Park
The cycling path goes through the rift valley floors in the local villages offering tourists a chance to interact with the local people; bird species can also be spotted on this exploration.
Lake Manyara National Park tours can be undertaken on short tours or customized in trips that cover parks like Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Crater. For more Africa tour experiences, tailor in a short gorilla trekking safari in Uganda or Rwanda gorilla tour and have an encounter with the great mountain gorillas as they live in their natural habitats. Charter flights can be organized to connect the Tanzania tour to either Uganda or Rwanda in the shortest time possible for such memorable lifetime experiences.
Tanzania Safari Packages
1 Day Safari Arusha National Park
1 Day Tarangire National Park Safari
2 Days Tarangire & Ngorongoro Tanzania Safari
4 Days Tanzania Camping Safari
5 Days Tanzania Wildlife Safari
6 Days & 5 Nights Tanzania Camping Luxury Safari
