Manyara National Park
Manyara National Park is a protected area in Tanzania’s Arusha and Manyara regions, it is situated between Lake Manyara and the Great Rift Valley. Manyara National Park is administered by the Tanzania National Parks Authority, the park covers an area of 325km2 (125 sq. mi) including about the 230km2 (89 sq. mi) lake surface.
Manyara national park was established in 1960 making it the second oldest national park in Tanzania after Serengeti national park, the park was named after the soda lake which is found at the park which was also named after the common sited tree at the park. The tree species is called Euphorbia Turucalli which is called Emanyara in the Maasai language, the tree is vital in the Maasai culture as security measures for their cattle against thieves and predators.
Attractions of Manyara National Park.
Wildlife.
Manyara national park has got various animal species like the zebra, baboon, warthog, giraffe, impala, elephant, hippo, wildebeest, the rare tree climbing lions, the park and its lake is a magnet for bird species, including sizeable flocks of pink flamingos, in the park the Mahogany and sausage trees are alive with blue and vervet monkeys; elephants feed on fallen fruit, and bushback, baboon and leopard make their homes in the forest.
Bird species.
Manyara national park is a birding destination for a birding safari, the park has over 400 bird species, that includes the Silvery-checked Hornbill, Narina Trogon, Crowned Hornbill, Schalow’s Turaco, Emerald Cuckoo, Crowned Eagle, Ground dwelling Crested Guineafowl, pelicans, pink flamingos, while close to the park borders and floodplains you can be able to see egrets, stilts erons, spoonbills, stalks and many more.
Vegetation.
Manyara national park since it is set under the magnificent of the Great Rift Valley’s steep western escarpment is along narrow park that conserves the area between the escarpment and Lake Manyara safe, with the vicinity of the lake area the wide grassy flood plains and further as you move away, are bands of moved acacia woodlands. Minus that the patches of captivating evergreen forests, that are kept going by perennial ground water springs from the base of the escarpment are next to the escarpment.
Tree Climbing Lions.
Tree climbing lions are among the major attraction in the park, these lions have unique tree climbing character can be found in just two populations a cross the world and other being the Ishasha Area Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda, a very large number of tourists and photographers visit the park to these unique exceptional animals.
Lake Manyara.
Lake Manyara is a shallow, alkaline lake found in the park that swells up and reduces in size basing on the seasons found within a long silvery bowl of salts deposits, the lake covers an area of 229 sq. km which is two thirds of the park’s total surface area and the lake harbors a large number of pink flamingos in addition to other wildlife like hippos which dwell in the shallow part of the river.
Fish species.
Manyara national park consists of the Lake Manyara, the lake consists of main fish species that is the catfish, tilapia and among others, these fish species are also the major attraction in the park.
Butterflies.
Manyara National Park has a variety of butterflies which are over 180 species have been documented in the park including the species like the Papillion butterfly, Monarch butterfly, and many more that also attract many tourists in the park.
Activities in manyara national park.
Bird watching.
Manyara national park is blessed with the most precious bird species, which makes the park to be the best in bird watching tour. The park has over 400 bird species, that is in the park the most attractive bird specie is the Pink Flamingo, this takes the biggest highlight during bird watching experiences in Manyara national park, the pink flamingos can be seen along the shores of the lake which covers a big part of the national park that is about two thirds of the area, not only that the park has Eurasian migrant birds, acacia associated birds, raptors and three endangered Tanzanian species. Bird species found in Manyara national park includes the African fish eagle, African grey hornbill, African hawk eagle, African Jacana, African spoonbill, Comb duck, crowned eagle, great white pelican, greater flamingo, silvery-cheecked hornbill, southern ground hornbill, yellow billed stork and many others. These birds are best spotted around Lake Manyara and best viewed in the period of November to April and that’s when the migratory bird species June to October.
Canoeing.
Manyara national park offers the best canoeing safaris in Tanzania, that is the park consists of the magnificent Lake Manyara where the canoeing and boat rides takes place, this canoeing offers the tourists the best aquatic experience of the park, and the guests can as well be able to sight the park while viewing animals like the giraffes, pink flamingos in the Lake Manyara which crowds the shores of the lake.
Game Drives.
Manyara national park is a great habitat for awide variety of animal species, with its special type of vegetation where the animals inhabit in the park, in the woodlands, grassy vegetation, marshlands. The game driving in the park is done in two ways that is the morning game driving, and night game driving. The morning game driving in Manyara national park offers you a great opportunity to view many animals like elephants, hippos, monkeys, wildebeest, waterbusk, warthogs, gazelle, buffalo, hyena, baboon, the tree climbing lion and many others, during the morning game driving it’s easy to spot various animal species because it’s the period when the animals are always active and can be many in the park.
Night game drive. Manyara national park also offers the guests night game drive especially during this game drive, the guests can be able to spot nocturnal animals especially predators in the park as they are waiting for their prey, as well other animals can be spotted using the spot light like the tree climbing lions, leopards, genets, civet cats and many more.
Lake Treetop walk.
Manyara national park has rain forests which favors treetop walk, here you swing on the canopy of the trees as you enjoy the aerial views of the park, the treetop walk is an extra activity that calls for extra pay not included on the entrance fees.
Visiting natural hot spring.
Visiting natural hot springs is an activity that involves the visit to the natural phenomena of the molten materials eruption, the temperatures of the hot spring is about 60 Celsius that is even enough to boil an egg within a few minutes during your visit in the park.
Hiking.
Hiking inside the park is done to the rift valley escarpment which looks like real hills surrounding the Manyara national park, hiking is healthy on the other side to the tourists in terms on their fitness and healthy.
Camping.
Camping in Manyara national park, is where the tourist experience the nature of wilderness by experiencing the outdoor environment in the park, in the park some camps are luxury whiles others are ordinary and other areas in the park are free for the tourists to come with their camping facilities like to pitch their tents and experience camping in the park.
Where to stay in Manyara national park.
Manyara national park is favored with the most comfortable accommodation facilities which offer the most comfortable beds, services and facilities, delicious meals to the guests, in that the facilities are found within and others outside the park as includes the Lake Manyara plantation lodge, Manyara tree lodge, Isoitok camp Manyara, Manyara Serena lodge, Kiruruma tented lodge, Like Manyara Wildlife camp, Lake Manyara hotel, Migunga Forest camp, Octagon lodge, Lake Manyara Kilimanjaro Lodge and many more.
Best time to visit Manyara national park.
The best time to visit Manyara national park is all over the year for activities like wildlife viewing though its best from late June to October, during the dry season, however the park is at its most beautiful period during the wet season, from November to May, when the vegetation is lush and waterfalls cascade down the escarpment.
Entrance fees of Manyara National Park.
| Category | PEAK SEASON (16th May-14th March) | LOW SEASON ( 15th March -15th May) | ||||
| EA (Tshs) | Non EA Citizen (USD) | Expatriate/Residents(USD) | EA (Tshs) | Non EA Citizen (USD) | Expatriate/Residents(USD) | |
| Of above the age of 16 years | 10,000 | 50 | 25 | 10,000 | 45 | 22.5 |
| Between the age of 5 and 15 years | 2000 | 15 | 7.5 | 2000 | 15 | 7.5 |
| Children below the age of 5 years | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free | Free |
How to get to Manyara National Park.
Manyara national park can be accessed by either the road or air means of transport from Arusha to the park.
By Road Transport.
The distance from Arusha to the park is 126 kilometers, the park is found on the main road that runs from Arusha to Karatu, found in Mtowambu town is found on the floor of the Great Rift Valley, it takes one like 2 to 3 hour’s drive to reach the park .
By Flight Transport.
Fight means is the quickest means of transport to reach the Manyara national park that is the Lake Manyara Airport found in the park it is the internationally recognized airport that has been even IATA code, LKY, ICAO code ;HTLM. The airport is service by many domestic airlines that operate in different airports of Tanzania and Kenya and the common local airlines are Coastal Aviation, Air Excel, Safarlink, Regional Air, Air Tanzania, Zan Air and precision air and many others.
Manyara national park is the best tourist tour destination in Tanzania with the most unusual tree- climbing lions and the vast elephant herds it was established to protect, on the other hand the park through consisting the lake manyara on its shores, is encrusted with the pink flamingos, that attracts more than 400 species of birds of which many of them are waterfowl or migrants.
