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A dark-maned lion stretched out full length on a thick branch, legs dangling, against a blue sky

Lake Manyara National Park

TanzaniaNorthern TanzaniaNational park

At Lake Manyara, a small park squeezed between the Rift escarpment and a soda lake, you look up into the acacias, where lions sleep through the hot hours: this is one of the few parks where they climb. On the shore, giraffes and buffalo graze in front of thousands of lesser flamingos, and baboons take over the track.

Why go to Lake Manyara?

  • Lions sleeping in the acacias, a rare habit, best looked for in the hot hours
  • Thousands of lesser flamingos on the lake, with 1.9 million counted in 1991
  • Large troops of olive baboons, on the track from the park entrance onward
  • The canopy walkway, canoeing on the lake and night drives
  • The groundwater forest at the foot of the escarpment, which the track crosses right from the gate

The park on the map

Base: Mto wa Mbu, 16 km as the crow flies.

See nearby parks on the map

Lake Manyara in pictures

Three giraffes on the lakeshore, a warthog in the grass in front, and a long pink line of flamingos on the water
Two olive baboons sitting on rocks, one grooming the other, which holds a baby against its body
View down from the escarpment over the green forest, the plain and Lake Manyara in the distance
A red dirt track runs under the canopy of tall forest trees

Which animals can you see in Lake Manyara?

The park fits into a strip of land between the Rift wall and the lake, and this narrowness brings the animals together. Manyara's lions have a habit of climbing into the acacias, especially in the hot hours, so look for them in the branches first. Elephants move through the groundwater forest right from the park entrance, where olive baboons travel the track in whole troops.

On the shore, giraffes, zebras and buffalo graze in front of the lesser flamingos. The lake held 1.9 million of them in 1991, and their numbers depend on the water level. More than 350 bird species have been recorded on the lake, and hippos occupy a pool in the north of the park.

Sighting calendar
SpeciesJFMAMJJASONDNote
Lionpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonin the acacias during the hot hours
Elephantpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonforest and lakeshore
Buffalopeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonlakeshore
Masai giraffepeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonlakeshore plains
Plains zebrapeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonlakeshore plains
Leopardpossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossibleforest, rarely seen
Spotted hyenapossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblemostly on night drives
Hippopotamuspeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpool in the north of the park
Olive baboonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonon the track, from the entrance onward
Lesser flamingospeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpeak seasonpossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepossiblepeak seasonpeak seasondepending on the lake level, mostly after the rains

peak seasonpossiblerare

What is a safari like in Lake Manyara?

You visit in a day from the Mto wa Mbu gate, in the north. A loop of tracks crosses the forest and follows the shore to the hippo pool. It then pushes on to the south of the park, which is drier and less visited. The lodges are mostly up on the escarpment, with a view of the lake, and there are a few camps inside the park.

The park also offers a canopy walkway, which takes an hour, and canoeing on the lake when the water level allows. Night drives with a ranger, by spotlight, show you the animals the day keeps hidden.

When to go to Lake Manyara?

idealgoodnot recommended

Open all year, the park changes a lot with the level of the lake. In the dry season, from June to October, the exposed shore draws the herds and the tracks are easy. The short rains of November and December, then the long rains from March to May, fill the lake and bring back waterbirds by the thousands. April is the wettest month.

Fees drop to US$53.10 from March 15 to May 15. The forest stays passable even in the rain, which makes Manyara a safe stop when the Serengeti is muddy.

How to get to Lake Manyara?

The park is 126 km southwest of Arusha, on the paved road to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti, about two hours by car. The main gate is at the entrance to the village of Mto wa Mbu, and almost every northern tour drives past it.

Every morning, Coastal Aviation lands a plane on the Manyara airstrip, at the top of the escarpment, 25 minutes after takeoff from Arusha, with a connection to the Serengeti.

Stay in Mto wa Mbu

Where to find a guide in Lake Manyara?

Guided tours you can book online, ranked by number of reviews. These are affiliate links: if you book, you support us at no extra cost.

Viator

3 Days Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Lake Manyara Group Camping Safari

3 days, from €699

5.0 (113 reviews)View and book
Viator

Lake Manyara National Park Full-Day Tour from Arusha

6 h, from €218

4.5 (16 reviews)View and book
Viator

3 Days Tanzania Safari Tarangire, Manyara, & Ngorongoro Crater.

3 days, from €609

4.8 (12 reviews)View and book
Viator

3Days Safari to Tarangire Ngorongoro and manyara lodge safari

3 days, from €586

5.0 (9 reviews)View and book

Where to stay near Lake Manyara?

Hotels, apartments and rooms around Mto wa Mbu, with current prices.

How do the lake and the Rift escarpment shape Lake Manyara?

Lake Manyara fills the floor of a Rift fault, at 960 m above sea level, at the foot of a cliff from which the lodges look down on the park. This soda lake is shallow, 80 cm on average and 3.7 m at the height of the rains, and covers about 230 km², a third of the park. Its level governs the flamingos, the exposed shore and the state of the tracks.

In the north, springs flow out of the escarpment and feed the groundwater forest, a block of tall evergreen trees that is the first setting of the safari. This contrast between forest, shore and cliff, within a few kilometers, is what makes the park worth visiting.

Frequently asked questions about Lake Manyara

When is the best time to visit Lake Manyara?

June to October for the exposed shore and the herds, November to May for waterbirds and a full lake. You can visit even in the rain: the forest protects the tracks.

How much is the Lake Manyara National Park entry fee?

US$59 per adult per 24 hours in high season, US$53.10 from March 15 to May 15, VAT included. A child aged 5 to 15 pays US$17.70. The canopy walkway costs an extra US$23.60.

Where can you see tree-climbing lions at Lake Manyara?

In the acacias of the central area, between the forest and the shore, especially in the hot hours of the day. Seeing them is still a matter of luck, so ask your guide where the pride was seen the day before.

Can you visit Lake Manyara without a guide?

Yes, the park is small, the main loop is easy to follow without a guide in a rental 4x4, and the perched lions are often reported at the gate. Night drives and the walkway are done with a ranger.

How do you get to Lake Manyara from Arusha?

By paved road, 126 km and about two hours to the Mto wa Mbu gate. By air, Coastal Aviation links Arusha to the Manyara airstrip in 25 minutes, for US$133 including taxes.

How much time do you need at Lake Manyara?

One day is enough, on the road between Tarangire and Ngorongoro. A night in the park adds the night drive and the morning light on the lake.

Our tip

Make it a one-day stop on the road between Tarangire and Ngorongoro: go in at opening time, cover the forest and the shore during the morning, then head up to Karatu. The day permit is valid for twelve hours, and a night in the park is only worth it for the night drive.

Other parks nearby

Stay in Mto wa Mbu

Image credits

Photos under free licenses, credited to their author; the link leads to the source.