Tanzania
National Parks & Game Reserves
Lake Manyara
National Park
Lake Manyara National
Park, Tanzania
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Lake
Manyara Tree Climbing Lion, Tanzania
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Lake
Manyara National Park Hippo, Tanzania |
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National Park
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Manyara National Park Safaris
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Lake
Manyara National Park - Tanzania
This
unusual park lies in the shadow of the Great Rift
Valley whose reddish brown escarpment wall looms 1,950
feet high (600 metres) on the eastern horizon. Waterfalls
spill over the cliff and hot springs bubble to the
surface in the south. Much of the park often appears
to be in a heat haze created by the soda lake - Lake
Manyara. The lake attracts considerable bird life,
and its surrounding terrain contains such a rich mosaic
of different habitats that it supports a large number
of animals. The
park is accessed by road via the village of Mto wa
Mbu, an eclectic market town where several tribes
have converged to form a linguistic mix like nowhere
else in Africa.
Lake
Manyara National Park Animals and Birds
Such diverse surroundings
attract equally diverse species such as monkeys, antelopes,
zebras, hippos and crocodiles, buffalo, giraffe and
a high density of elephants. The park is particularly
known for its tree-climbing lions, who may be seen
sleeping off the heat of the day on a branch instead
of a shady spot on the ground like most other lions.
Fish-eating birds inhabiting the lake include pelicans,
storks, cormorants and Egyptian geese. Flamingoes
co lour the lake pink as they arrive to feed at the
lake during their migration. One unforgettable sight
is a giant flock of red billed queleas who gather
in their thousands and waft over the water like a
giant swarm of insects.
Lake
Manyara National Park Seasons
Rainy
Season: Short rains are November and December
when it gets hot and humid, and the long rains are
from March to June. These are the best times for bird
watching, waterfalls and canoeing.
Dry Season: typically it is dry in
the cooler winter months of July to October, which
is the best time to view game.
Canoe
Trip on Lake Manyara
Tanzania
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Lake
Manyara National Park Wildlife
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Lake
Manyara National Park Hippo Yawn |
Lake
Manyara Highlights
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Lake Manyara Serena Active Forest
Hike
•
Canoe Trip on Lake Manyara
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Diverse scenery and animals
• An abundance of elephants
• Water birds in abundance
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Tree-climbing lions
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Night game drives
Lake
Manyara Facts
The park is 78 miles (125 km) west of Arusha town,
from where it is a half an hour flight or a two-hour
drive.
The park is 127 miles² (330 km²) of which
89 miles² (230 km²) is Lake Manyara.
It
attained National Park status in 1960.
