Lake Manyara National Park

Forget the endless, sun-baked plains you might picture when you think of a “safari.”

Lake Manyara National Park is a completely different world. It’s an emerald-green jewel pressed against the dramatic, 600-meter-high cliffs of the Great Rift Valley.

This park is a compact, vibrant, and breathtakingly scenic introduction to your Tanzanian safari. It’s a park of stunning contrasts, where in a single drive you can go from a dense, jungle-like groundwater forest to an acacia woodland, and then out to the shimmering, vast soda lake itself.

What is Lake Manyara Famous For?

You’ve probably heard the rumors, and yes, they are true. Lake Manyara is world-famous for its tree-climbing lions.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t a guaranteed, circus-act sighting. These are wild lions. But for reasons still not fully understood (perhaps to escape the heat or bothersome insects), the lion prides here have adopted the very un-cat-like behavior of lounging, napping, and dangling their tails from the sturdy branches of acacia trees. Spotting a 400-pound lion stretched out on a branch is a moment of pure safari magic you will never forget.

What You’ll Actually See

While you’re scanning the trees for lions, you’ll be treated to a rich and diverse range of wildlife. Because the park is so compact, the animal density is fantastic.

• Massive Elephant Herds: The elephants in Manyara are famously relaxed around vehicles, allowing for incredible, up-close, and personal encounters. You’ll often see family groups, complete with tiny, clumsy calves, just meters away.
• The “World’s Largest” Baboon Troops: Manyara is home to some of the largest troops of baboons ever recorded. You’ll see hundreds at a time—grooming, playing, and causing chaos on the roadside. It’s a fascinating and noisy spectacle of primate society.
• A Birder’s Paradise: The lake itself is the main attraction for over 400 species of birds. At certain times of year, the shoreline is a shimmering carpet of thousands of pink flamingos. You’ll also see pelicans, storks, and herons wading in the shallows.
• The “Other” Residents: Don’t forget to look for hippos wallowing in their pools, graceful giraffes, herds of buffalo, zebra, and wildebeest.

 Unforgettable Activities in Manyara

This is where Lake Manyara truly stands apart. Unlike other parks, it offers unique ways to experience the wild.

• Treetop Walkway: This is a must-do! It’s a 370-meter-long canopy walk that takes you on a secure series of suspension bridges among the monkeys, 18 meters (60 feet) up in the forest canopy. It’s a true monkey’s-eye view of the world.
• Night Game Drives: Want to see what happens after dark? Manyara is one of the few parks that permits night drives. This is your chance to find elusive nocturnal creatures like porcupines, genets, and perhaps even a hunting leopard.
• Visit Mto wa Mbu Village: Right at the park’s entrance is the vibrant village of Mto wa Mbu (“River of Mosquitoes”). Don’t just drive past it. This is a cultural melting pot of over 120 different tribes. Take a guided village tour (by bike or tuk-tuk), visit a local banana beer brewery, and enjoy a traditional Swahili lunch.