Lodges and campsites in Mto wa Mbu
Simple lodges, tented camps and campsites in the lively market village at the park gate, minutes from the entrance, with local restaurants and cultural walks on the doorstep.
Mto wa Mbu village
Northern Circuit · Tanzania
Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara Park has a narrow strip of groundwater forest, woodland and soda lake at the foot of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, just two hours from Arusha. Small enough to explore in a day, and varied enough to surprise people who come for the lions in the trees and leave talking about the forest, the baboons and the birds.
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Travelers' Choice Awards
June to October for game, November to April for birds
648.7 km², much of it is a lake, Northern Circuit
About 2 hr (126 km) by road from Arusha
Tree-climbing lions, flamingos, forest
Lake Manyara: A Small Park In A Rift Valley
Lake Manyara National Park lies between the wall of the Great Rift Valley and the alkaline waters of Lake Manyara in northern Tanzania. It became a national park in 1960 and covers 648.7 km², a large share of it the lake itself. The name comes from emanyara, the Maasai word for the euphorbia plant that herders once grew as living fences for their cattle. Few parks pack so much into so little space. You enter through groundwater forest fed by springs from the escarpment, with tall fig and mahogany trees, blue monkeys and large troops of olive baboons. The forest opens onto acacia woodland and grassy floodplains where elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and hippo graze, and at the southern end hot springs rise at Maji Moto.
The lake changes with the rains. When conditions are right, thousands of flamingos gather in the shallows, joined by pelicans, storks and cormorants among the roughly 400 bird species recorded here. Lake Manyara is also famous for lions that rest in trees, behaviour seen in only a few places in Africa. Sightings are never guaranteed, but they are part of what makes a morning here feel different. The park is part of the Lake Manyara Biosphere Reserve, recognised by UNESCO in 1981. It sits right on the road from Arusha to the crater and the Serengeti, so it slots easily into a northern circuit safari, usually after Tarangire and before the Ngorongoro Crater. Many guests stay in Mto wa Mbu village or on the escarpment above the park, which also works as a base for the crater.
Things to Do in Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara is one of the few parks in Tanzania where you can do far more than drive. A classic day combines a game drive through the forest and floodplains with a walk high in the canopy, and when the water is high enough, a paddle along the shore.
Game drivesForest, woodland, floodplain and lakeshore in a single morning, with elephant, buffalo, giraffe and hippo in the open, and blue monkeys and baboons along the forest roads.
Tree-climbing lionsManyara's lions are known for resting in the branches of acacia and mahogany trees. Nobody fully agrees why, and sightings come and go, but your guide will know where the prides have been.
Treetop walkwayAbout 370 m of suspended bridges and platforms through the forest canopy. A different angle on the birds, the monkeys and the forest itself, and a favourite with children.
Canoeing on the lakeWhen water levels allow, guided canoe trips follow the shoreline for close views of hippo, water birds and flamingos, with the escarpment rising behind you.
Night game drivesLake Manyara is one of the few Tanzanian national parks where night drives run, with a chance of leopard, porcupine, genet, bushbaby and lions hunting after dark.
Birdwatching and flamingosAround 400 species in a small area, from crowned and silvery-cheeked hornbills in the forest to flamingos, pelicans and storks on the lake. Best from November to April.
The Best Time to Visit Lake Manyara, Season by Season
Lake Manyara can be visited all year, and because it is small and close to Arusha it works with whatever else is on your itinerary. The seasons change is what you notice the most: big game in the dry months, birds and a green, dramatic landscape in the wet months.
June to October: dry season. Thinner vegetation and fewer water sources make wildlife easier to find, and the roads are at their best. The most popular time, often paired with Tarangire's dry-season elephants.
November and December: the short rains. Brief afternoon showers, fresh green grass and the arrival of migrant birds. A good, quieter time to visit.
January to March: warm and green. The best months for birdlife, and flamingo numbers are often higher when water levels suit them. Hot in the middle of the day.
April and May: the long rains. The forest is at its lushest and the streams off the escarpment run full, but some tracks get muddy and high water can cover parts of the lakeshore. Rates are at their lowest.
Flamingo numbers depend on the depth and saltiness of the lake, which change from year to year, so we check recent reports from guides before promising a pink shoreline. For rainfall by month, see our Tanzania weather guide. Let us know what suites you best and we will plan a trip with you. →
Where to Stay near Lake Manyara
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Lodges on the Rift Valley escarpment
Comfortable lodges and tented camps along the escarpment, with sweeping views over the lake and the park below. Convenient for Lake Manyara and a good base for the Ngorongoro Crater.
Escarpment above the park
Camps inside the park
A handful of exclusive camps and lodges inside the park, in the forest or near the lake, where night drives are on the menu and you have the park almost to yourself after the day visitors leave.
Inside the park
Lake Manyara Safaris, Tailored to You
Start with one of these safaris that include Lake Manyara, then work with our local expert in Arusha to change the pace, the camps and the length of your trip.
Lake Manyara Questions We Get Most Often
Will I see tree-climbing lions in Lake Manyara?Possibly, but it is never guaranteed. Lions here climb trees more often than in most parks, and your guide will check where the prides have been, but some visitors see them in the branches and others see them on the ground or not at all.
How much time do I need in Lake Manyara?Half a day covers the main forest and lakeshore circuit. A full day, or a night nearby, lets you reach the Maji Moto hot springs in the south and add the treetop walkway, a canoe trip or a night drive.
When can I see flamingos at Lake Manyara?Flamingos gather when water levels and algae suit them, most often in the wetter months from around November to April, but numbers vary a lot from year to year. We check recent sightings before you travel.
Can I visit Lake Manyara and the Ngorongoro Crater on the same trip?Easily. The park gate at Mto wa Mbu is about an hour and a half from the crater rim, so a common plan is Lake Manyara in the afternoon, a night on the escarpment or in Karatu, and the Ngorongoro Crater at dawn the next day.