Lake Manyara National Park

Giraffe, flamingos and wildlife on the lakeshore at Lake Manyara, Tanzania
Photo: John Mackenzie Burke / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Compact but astonishingly varied, Lake Manyara packs groundwater forest, open floodplain and a soda lake into a narrow strip beneath the dramatic Rift Valley escarpment. It’s renowned for its tree-climbing lions, large elephant herds and flamingo-fringed shores, plus hippo, giraffe and superb birding. An easy and rewarding first stop on Tanzania’s northern circuit, en route to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro.

Ratings

Wildlife Density: ★★★★☆    Infrastructure: ★★★★☆    Photography: ★★★★★
Adventure: ★★★☆☆    Exclusivity: ★★☆☆☆    Value for Money: ★★★★☆    Scenery: ★★★★★

Location: Northern Tanzania; near Mto wa Mbu; ~2 hrs from Arusha
Key wildlife: Tree-climbing lions, elephant, flamingo, hippo, giraffe, baboon
Best for: Northern-circuit start, birders, half/full-day game drives
Best time: June–October (game); November–April (birds, flamingos)

More about this park will be added here over time.