Lake Manyara national park
Lake Manyara National Park is a beautiful protected safari destination in Tanzania. It is in the Arusha and Manyara regions, and the nearest city is Arusha, Babati. The park is made up of Lake Manyara and the Great Rift Valley, and Lake Manyara covers 230 square kilometres. Lake Manyara national park is in the northern safari circuit of Tanzania. It is on the way to Ngorongoro conservation area and Serengeti national park. The park is part of the larger Lake Manyara Biosphere Reserve, which was set up by UNESCO in 1981 as part of its man and the biosphere programme.
Historically Lake Manyara national park got its name from a species of tree called Euphorbia tirucalli and locally referred to as Emanyara in Maasai language, these trees were planted in the area by Maasai people so as to guard their livestock from thieves and wild animals like lions and leopards. Lake Manyara national park was set up as a reserve in 1957 but before its establishment it was used as a ground for sport hurting and a resident area for Masai people.
Climate in Lake Manyara national park.
Lake Manyara National Park has two rainy seasons and one dry season. During the rainy seasons, it rains for short amounts of time and for longer amounts of time. From November to December, there are short rains, and from March to May, there are long rains. Lake Manyara National Park gets the most rain in April, with 161 mm. July, August, and September are all part of the dry season. September is the driest month, with the least amount of rain on average.
The hottest months in Lake Manyara National Park are January, February, and March, when the average high temperature is 30 degrees Celsius. The coolest months are June and July, when the average high temperature is only 25 degrees Celsius.
Tourist attractions in Lake Manyara national park.
Lake Manyara.
Lake Manyara is a shallow alkaline lake that covers a fair amount of Lake Manyara national park. The lake is a major draw in the park and has a surface area of 230 square kilometres and a depth of 3.7 metres. Lake Manyara is the seventh biggest lake in Tanzania. It is 1045 metres above sea level and is an excellent spot to watch birds because it is home to thousands of flamingos, which make the shores of the lake look pink. Lake Manyara is a stunning destination to go on safari to see birds and canoeing safari experience.
Animal species.
Animal species thrives in Lake Manyara National Park’s marshes, acacia woodlands, savannah grasslands, and forest galleries. The park is known for its tree-climbing trees, large population of elephants, and large troop of baboons with more than 100 members, which is thought to be the largest in Africa. There are also hippos, antelopes, zebras, Thomson gazelles and Grant’s gazelles, wildebeests, waterbuck, impalas, warthogs, giraffes, Cape buffalo, and many more animals in Lake Manyara National Park. Predators like lions, leopards, African wild cats, spotted hyenas, bat-eared foxes, genets, honey badgers, and cheetahs and African golden cats are sometimes seen in Lake Manyara National Park.
Bird species.
Lake Manyara National Park is an outstanding location for birds to live. It is home to many different kinds of birds, some of which live on the lake’s shores and in the middle of the lake, while others live in the savannah forests. Over 400 different kinds of birds live in Lake Manyara National Park, including migratory species from Eurasia, raptors, and rare and threatened species like the Rufous-tailed weaver, Ashy starlings, and black-collared lovebird. Bird species in this park include pink shaded flamingoes, pelicans, crowned eagles, crested guinea fowl, slivery checked hornbills, egrets, stilts, herons, spoonbills, stalks, wanders, Narina trogon, pangani long claw, crowned hornbills, Schalow’s turaco, emerald cuckoo, crowned plover, two-banded courser, black-faced sun grouse and many more.
Maji Moto springs.
Maji Moto Springs are a beautiful spot in the southern part of the park. Their name comes from a Swahili word that means “hot water.” Maji Moto Springs is a small paradise in the park, surrounded by palm and fig trees. The spring’s heat up to about 60 degrees Celsius, and the water forms a pool where people can swim which is a wonderful safari attraction.
Tourist activities to do in Lake Manyara national park.
Game viewing.
Lake Manyara National Park is an excellent safari destination to see exciting wildlife. This experience gives you a chance to explore the park, and a tour guide will take you on a game drive through different parts of the park. On this experience you will visit the magnificent lake Manyara where you will spot thousands of animals as they drink water and bird, then drive through marshlands, woodlands and acacia dominated terrain spotting animals like tree climbing lions, elephants, hippos, antelopes, zebras, Thomson gazelle and Grant ‘s gazelle, wildebeests, waterbuck, impalas, warthogs, giraffes cape buffalo and many more .
Lake Manyara National Park lets you see animals both during the day and at night. Seeing animals at night is a very exciting safari experience that shows you a different side of the park. This is a chance to see nocturnal animals and predators in Lake Manyara National Park. With the help of a torch, you might see lions, leopards, African wild cats, spotted hyenas, bat-eared foxes, genets, honey badgers, servals and even an odd cheetah.
Bird watching.
Lake Manyara National Park is one of the finest safari destination to see birds in Tanzania. The park is home to more than 400 bird species that live around Lake Manyara, the savannah fields, and the scattered forest galleries. Bird watching in Lake Manyara national park gives you the chance to see beautiful and colorful birds like thousands of pink-colored flamingos in the lake and on its shores, flocks of pelicans, the rare pangani long claw, silvery-checked hornbill, crowned eagles, crested guinea fowl, silvery checked hornbills, egrets, stilts, herons, spoonbills, stalks and among others.
Lake Manyara, which is always full of pelicans and pink flamingos, is the greatest place to watch birds in Lake Manyara National Park. The huge number of birds in the park makes it a birder’s paradise.
Canoeing.
Lake Manyara national park is one of the few protected places in Tanzania where you can go on a canoe safari. This is one way to see the beautiful Lake Manyara. Tourists can get close to the water life of Lake Manyara by canoeing. They can see thousands of flamingos, pelicans, and other animals that come to the lake to drink water.
Maasai community visit.
Maasai local community is on the border of Lake Manyara national park. Historically, Maasai people were the first people to live in the park, and visiting the Maasai community while in Lake Manyara national park gives you a culture and traditional tour of the area. In the Maasai community, you can see round huts/bomas made of mud and straw, watch traditional dances and songs, wear traditional clothes like stripped shukas, eat food made in the traditional way, and learn about many other parts of the native culture.
Accommodation in Lake Manyara national park.
In Lake Manyara national park has various lodges and camp which are open to accommodate visitors throughout the year, and these are grouped into budget, mid-range and luxury options and these include lake Manyara hotel, lake Manyara bush camp, and beyond lake Manyara tree lodge, Africa safari glamping, lake Manyara wildlife lodge, Migunga tented camp, lake Manyara serene safari lodge, and many more.
How to get to Lake Manyara national park.
Lake Manyara National Park is about 126 kilometres south-west of Arusha, which is where most safari trips to the park begin. You can get to the park from Arusha by road or by air. By vehicle, you can get to the park in about one to two hours on well-maintained roads. If you want to fly, you can take a domestic flight from Arusha airport to Lake Manyara airport, which serves Lake Manyara national park and the Manyara area.