Lake Manyara a Little Park with Lots to Offer

Lake Manyara a Little Park with Lots to Offer  : One of Tanzania’s smaller parks, Lake Manyara National Park is remarkable for its biodiversity and provides amazing vistas of the country’s landscapes and fauna. Rich forests, open plains, stunning cliffs, and of course, the lake itself can all be found in this park, which is situated on the outskirts of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Manyara is possibly renowned for its tree-climbing lions. But it’s also home to elephants, zebras, giraffes, hippos, and many other animals, including nearly 600 kinds of birds.

Landscapes of Lake Manyara National Park.

Lake Manyara National Park covers just 125 square miles, but encompasses many worlds. Lake Manyara is a central feature of the park, but the streams, hot springs, and pools around it also attract a diversity of wildlife, including hippos, Nile monitor lizards, and even mighty pythons. In the park’s northern end, you’ll find a dense forest of enormous fig and mahogany trees that shelter elephants and silvery-cheeked hornbills. South of the forest lies acacia woodland and open grassland—perfect habitat for Cape buffalos, wildebeests, impalas, giraffes, zebras, and lions. Dramatic cliffs dotted with magnificent baobab trees host diverse birdlife. Look for Verreaux’s eagles; eight vulture species, including the critically endangered white-backed vulture and Rüppell’s griffon; nine species of swifts, such as the mottled spinetail and little swift; and ten species of swallows, including the wire-tailed swallow and red-rumped swallow.

Tree-Climbing Lions of Lake Manyara National Park.

The lions found in the majority of other regions of Africa are not the same as those seen in Lake Manyara National Park. They are members of the same species, but they have acquired the peculiar behavior of climbing trees. They can occasionally be seen relaxing in the treetops during the day, but they also spend a lot of time on the ground. The reason why the lions here have adopted this behavior is unknown to experts, but it could be to avoid insects that bite, to take advantage of the cool breezes that blow through the highest branches, or to have a better look at their prey.

Wonderful Flamingos of Lake Manyara National Park

Another natural drama at Lake Manyara National Park happens every wet season, when the shores turn pink with thousands of flamingos—some estimates put the annual number of flamingos in the park at close to 2 million! The flamingos flock to the shallows of the lake to feast on algae, which is plentiful at this time of year. In addition to flamingos, you might spot ibises, cormorants, pelicans, and storks, including the saddle-billed stork and African open bill.

Baboon Capital of the World

Love monkeys? You’re lucky! The largest baboon population in the world may be found in Lake Manyara National Park. These gregarious creatures, who frequently wander in groups of dozens, are entertaining to observe. Watch as senior troop members relax, groom one another, or even quarrel while young baboons play with their siblings or ride on their mothers’ backs. Vervet and blue monkeys are also present in the park. Although they live in smaller groups and are smaller than baboons, these animals are equally endearing to observe.

How to get to Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara National Park is about 75 miles from Arusha, Tanzania, which is served internationally by Kilimanjaro International Airport and domestically by Arusha airport. The majority of guests get to the park by car. However, you can alternatively fly to Lake Manyara Airstrip on a scheduled or charter flight to save time. Once in Lake Manyara National Park, you can explore it through game drives and, depending on the season and water level, even canoeing!