Lake Manyara is often treated as a drive-through park on the way to the Serengeti or Ngorongoro Crater. That is a mistake. In my 20 years as a guide, Lake Manyara is the park where guests are surprised time and again — precisely because they expected so little from it.
The park is compact (330 km²) but boasts remarkable biodiversity. You drive through three completely different ecosystems in a single day: tropical rainforest along the rift escarpment, open savanna, and the vast shallow soda lake that can be filled with flamingos to the very shores.
The tree-climbing lions
Lake Manyara is one of the few places in the world where lions regularly climb trees. Nobody knows exactly why — perhaps to escape mosquitoes, perhaps to catch the breeze, perhaps simply because they enjoy it. But the image of a lion resting in a fig tree, long legs draped over a branch, stays with you forever.
They are not visible every day — I have to be honest about that. But the chance is considerably higher than in other parks, and the attempt alone is worth the effort.
The flamingos of Lake Manyara
The lake is alkaline (soda-like) and attracts flamingos like a magnet. In season — particularly November to April when the rains refresh the water — hundreds of thousands of flamingos can stand on the lake simultaneously. The shoreline turns pink as far as you can see. Even with just 5,000 present, it is already a spectacular sight.
Alongside flamingos, the lake hosts pelicans, herons, spoonbills and dozens of other waterbirds. For birdwatchers, Lake Manyara is paradise — more than 400 species have been recorded here.
The forest and the elephants
The road through the park begins in dense swamp forest full of mahogany and fig trees. Elephants live here that seem smaller than they are because of the vegetation — until you suddenly see one standing five metres away. The forest steams in the morning, light filters through the leaves, and the quiet presence of such a large animal so close gives you goosebumps.
Lake Manyara also has one of Tanzania's largest hippopotamus concentrations. They lie in groups in the shallow lakes and wetlands during the day, gurgling and snorting.
Practical: how to plan Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara can be done in a single day and combines excellently with the Ngorongoro Crater (both in the Arusha region). We build it in as standard on the first or last day of a safari circuit.
The best time is early morning (7:00–9:00) when the elephants are active in the forest and the flamingos glisten in the pink morning light. Avoid the midday heat — everything retreats into the shade then.
Allow 4–6 hours in the park for a complete experience. A half-day plus the drive to Ngorongoro can comfortably be combined in a single day.
Why I always recommend Lake Manyara
After 20 years in Tanzania, Lake Manyara has personally remained a favourite for me, precisely because it is so different from the Serengeti. Less crowding, more surprises, and that special feeling of a park not yet discovered by everyone. When I ask guests what their favourite moment of the trip was, they surprisingly often name Lake Manyara.