Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara National Park was founded in 1960 and lies in the base of the Great Rift Valley at 3.6191° S, 35.8062° E. The area consists of a beautiful series of contrasting landscapes. You will be welcomed by a lush green forest, covered with a canopy of mahogany and quinine trees, and fed by multiple springs. While the forest itself has a calming effect, you may soon be excited to see Sykes blue monkeys, black faced vervet monkeys, bushbucks, dik-diks, elephants, waterbucks, warthogs, and often large troops of friendly baboons grooming along the road. As the forest opens up into drier grassland, you will see a 325 sq km alkaline lake bordered by a strip of  “fever trees” (Yellow-barked Acacia) and  “sausage trees” (Kigelia africana), which is the perfect habitat for the world famous tree climbing lions. You may wish to visit the “natural living sponge” hippo pool, to view hippos and water buffalos wallowing in the mud, and to see egrets monitoring the swamps.  Antelope graze in the open grassland and giraffes “measure their height” eating acacia leaves. On the western side, there is a hot water spring at the foot of volcanic hills.

Lake Manyara is known world wide for having more than 400 species of birds. Migrant, resident, aquatic, and dry land birds call this home.  You may see flamingos, storks, hamerkop pelicans, cormorants, darters, African jacanas, black winged stilts, gees sandpipers, ducks, silvery cheeked hornbills, ground hornbills, egrets,etc.

Mto wa Mbu, a multicultural village just outside of the park, offers biking and walking tours. These are a great way to experience Tanzanian culture, while actively enjoying the outdoors.

L&L Tanzania Safaris offers well organized day tours through this special place. You may even want to arrange a night time game drive!