A compact, scenic park famous for its tree-climbing lions and a shimmering alkaline lake.
Lake Manyara National Park sits beneath the dramatic wall of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, where dense groundwater forest gives way to open savanna and the shallow, alkaline lake for which the park is named. It's one of the smallest parks on the Northern Circuit, but its habitat variety packed into a short drive makes it a rewarding stop.
Manyara is one of the few places in Africa where lions are known to climb into the branches of acacia and fig trees, a behaviour rarely seen elsewhere and one of the park's signature draws.
The lake's shallow, mineral-rich waters attract huge numbers of flamingos alongside pelicans and storks, and the park has recorded well over 400 bird species across its forest, swamp, and lake habitats.
Roughly a 1.5 hour drive from Arusha along the base of the Rift Valley escarpment, commonly visited en route to Ngorongoro or the Serengeti.
Lake Manyara entry fees are set by TANAPA and charged per person for a 24-hour period; we confirm current rates when building your itinerary.
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