LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK

Le parc national du lac Manyara est situé à un peu plus de 100 km au Sud-Ouest du parc national d’Arusha. C’est également un petit parc qui s’étend le long de la falaise de la vallée du Rift sur 325km². En saison des pluies, les 2/3 du parc sont recouvert par le lac Manyara, dont le parc tire son nom. C’est le moment pour vous de découvrir ce célèbre lac !

Discover Lake Manyara National Park

Discover Lake Manyara National Park and its extraordinary ecosystem with your off-road guide! Located about 2 hours from Arusha in the spectacularly steep Rift Valley, Lake Manyara National Park is one of Tanzania’s must-sees! Famous for its biodiversity, Manyara Park is a protected area where the flora and fauna, including migratory birds, make this tropical forest a unique place!

The emblematic animals of Lake Manyara

During your guided safari with Off Road, you will have the pleasure of observing many animals, including elephants, giraffes and zebras, as well as buffalo, crocodiles, impalas and leopards. Not forgetting monkeys and baboons!

The hippo pond also attracts a large number of water birds, including pink flamingos

The manyara park sometimes offers the rare sight of lions roosting in the trees, and you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of them..

The extraordinary safari experience at Lake Manyara

During your off-road trip, you’ll discover some incredible panoramas. The various national parks of northern Tanzania, such as Serengeti, Tarangire and Ngorongoro, together with Manyara Park, offer an extraordinary experience. Our 4X4 safaris accompanied by our local guides are sure to delight photography and adventure enthusiasts! Whether at sunrise or sunset, observing the wilderness will be at the heart of your safari in Tanzania!

Explore the varied landscapes around Lake Manyara

Tanzania is an incredibly diverse African country, with landscapes as varied as they are magnificent! Dense forests rub shoulders with mountains and savannah, arid lands contrast with flood plains, swamps and hot springs..

Immerse yourself in the local culture during your visit to Lake Manyara

Tanzania is a land of traditions and customs, where the Massai tribes live side by side with the Tanzanian population. During your safari, you can experience authentic encounters and have rich exchanges with the local population. The handicrafts and cultural heritage of the various tribes are still very much alive in the villages you can visit on your safari with Off Road.

Enjoy ecological activities at Lake Manyara

During your trip with Off Road, you will be offered a range of eco-tourism activities, including hiking, cycling, canoeing on Lake Manyara and fishing. There will also be a chance to discover ornithology and nature, providing a real environmental education!

Accommodation and services during your safari on Lake Manyara

There are several types of accommodation available in Tanzania, including lodges, luxury tents in camps and bungalows offering both comfort and conviviality! The hospitality of your hosts, the marvellous panoramas and the refined cuisine will make these places real places of relaxation! During your safari, you’ll discover some real little corners of paradise!

The best time to visit Lake Manyara

As far as the climate is concerned, here’s some advice: the dry season runs from June to October and the rainy season from mid-March to mid-May. The climate remains pleasant all year round, but temperatures can be chilly at night! (Especially around the Ngorongoro Crater)

The flora and fauna change according to the climate, and depending on when you travel, you may even be able to witness the great zebra and wildebeest migration (which takes place in the southern Serengeti in the Ndutu region from December to March)

The secrets and anecdotes of Lake Manyara

Off Road will take you to the heart of the village of Mto Wa Mbu in the Manyara region, where you can enjoy a traditional meal and chat with the villagers, who have many secrets and anecdotes about the Lake Manyara region. Did you know that during a safari in the Manyara Park you can meet tree-dwelling lionesses sitting in the treetops?

Plan your trip to Lake Manyara with Off Road

Contact our destination experts, who will be able to give you all the advice you need for a quality trip in complete safety. Together, you will create the itinerary of your dreams, combining the discovery of Tanzanian culture with animal observation. Exciting excursions will be suggested to you by our off-road advisers, and the quality service and friendliness of the Tanzanians will leave you with incredible memories of this exceptional trip!

Why go to Lake Manyara National Park?

4*4 Landcruiser safari in Manyara Park

A safari in Lake Manyara National Park means being surrounded by a splendid and rare natural environment, with an abundance of fauna and flora, enough to feast your eyes … and your ears! Between the calls of the monkeys and the songs of the birds, the music is as harmonious as the breathtaking scenery.

The animals of Manyara Park

Lake Manyara National Park attracts many animals thanks to its varied ecosystem: waterholes, grasslands and tropical forests. It is a veritable sanctuary for birds: pink flamingos, pelicans, kingfishers, ibises and black-crested eagles. There are over 400 species of bird in the park!

Manyara Park was originally created as a sanctuary for herds of elephants. It is therefore not uncommon to see elephants. In and around the forest, there is a large population of monkeys. In fact, it’s one of the highest in the world! Among them are many baboons, green monkeys and blue monkeys.

On safari in this reserve, it is not unusual to come across several species of antelope, including impala and dik dik, as well as buffalo, giraffe, zebra and wildebeest. The reserve is also home to lions and leopards. They can usually be found in wooded areas, perched on the branches of acacia trees, taking a siesta.

Finally, the lake is also a hippo pool! Many hippos bathe here all day long.

The flora of Manyara Park

Lake Manyara National Park borders the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley. The latter features fault lines 400 metres deep! It is an important stage on the road to the Ngorongoro Crater. The flora here is particularly varied. Many permanent waterholes are accessible in the park, particularly Lake Manyara. To the north of the park is a lush, dense tropical forest. This forest is made up of acacias, candelabra euphorbias, sausage trees, giant fig trees, etc. The diversity of this forest is a magnificent example of the plant composition of East Africa: it is naturally astonishing.

To the south, the forest gives way to grasslands, the lake and swamps. Mangrove swamps border the lake.

Journey to Lake Manyara National Park

Manyara National Park is located right next to Tarangire Park and close to the village of Mto Wa Mbu, leaving a good choice of activities to do after a Manyara safari. A trip to Lake Manyara National Park is not essential on a trip to Tanzania, but it is a must for nature lovers. Indeed, the immense lake provides the park with a greenery that is rare in Tanzania, a far cry from the dry plains of the Serengeti.

When should you go on safari in Lake Manyara?

Lake Manyara National Park is open all year round, but as a general rule the best time to visit is during the dry season: between June and October. This is the best time to see the large mammals, but not the birds. It is the wet season that attracts the most birds. They can easily be seen near the lake between November and May. The wet season also offers other advantages: fewer people, lower prices, less heat. So the best time for you depends on what you want to experience!

How do I get to Lake Manyara Park?

It takes about two and a half hours to drive from Arusha to Manyara. It’s an hour’s drive from Tarangire Park to Lake Manyara and the same time to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. A safari in Lake Manyara is therefore often followed or preceded by a safari in one or both of these parks.

Fees and regulations for Lake Manyara National Park?

Entrance fees to Lake Manyara National Park for one day are :

  • 45 per adult
  • $15 per child aged 5 to 15
  • Free for children under 5.

Lake Manyara Park: regulations

The same rules apply as in all Tanzania’s national parks: respect the animals and the environment. Detailed rules are available at the park entrance.

Excursions and activities in Lake Manyara

  • Some lodges offer night safaris
  • Visit the village of Mto Wa Mbu on the road to the Ngorongoro Crater

100% customised off-road tours of Lake Manyara