A bird and wildlife paradise
By managing to squeeze a majority of Tanzania‘s diverse habitats, animals and birdlife into just one, and by most standards, small national park (33,000 hectares) Lake Manyara is a very popular park, made even more so for its tree-climbing lions, thriving herds of giraffe and broad range of bird species.
Set between Arusha and the Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Manyara National Park runs along the Rift Valley escarpment and where two-thirds of its hectarage lies under the waters of its alkaline lake. Spot baboons, blue monkeys and bushbuck in its evergreen forests, buffalo, wildebeest, giraffe and zebra on its flood plains, whereas its acacia woodland is popular amongst its leopards and those tree-climbing lions.
One of the main draws to the park is its variation of birdlife. Thanks to its watery terrain there are healthy populations of large waterbirds such as flamingo, cormorant, pelican, stork, stilt and much more to discover.
Highlights
Glide over the tops of ancient baobab trees as the sun rises, looking out for elephant herds, antelope, zebra, lion, on a hot air balloon ride
Take a stroll through the local farming village of Mto Wa Mbu and enjoy a local lunch in the middle of the village
Go on a sky-high adventure along the Manyara Treetop Walkway, experiencing nature and wildlife from a unique perspective
Enjoy a truly unique and unforgettable outdoor fitness experience as you go running across the plains with a Maasai warrior
Jody van Merode
Senior Travel Designer
Beyond the allure of possibly spotting tree-climbing lions, and marvelling at vast expanses of flamingos, Lake Manyara in Tanzania offers you breathtaking views of lush forests and diverse wildlife. The lake's serene waters, framed by the dramatic backdrop of the Great Rift Valley, create an idyllic setting for photographers and nature enthusiasts alike.
Jody van Merode
Senior Travel Designer
Luxury accommodation in Lake Manyara
Why book with Jacada?
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Trip inspiration
Discover more of Tanzania
Arusha
Arguably the Safari Capital of East Africa, Arusha is a bustling city in northern Tanzania and the main hub for those who are going to be embarking on a safari in this extensively game rich country.
Discover moreKatavi National Park
For safari experts, the isolated Katavi National Park comes highly recommended. With a combination of grassland plains, marshland, rugged hills, woodland, lakes and rivers, this multifaceted region of Tanzania is home to a dense and varied wildlife quotient - including predators.
Discover moreKilimanjaro Climb
The mighty Mount Kilimanjaro, or ‘The Roof of Africa’, is the continent’s highest mountain. To reach this dormant volcano’s snow-capped peak, hikers have to embark on a challenging yet epic journey. As you ascend the mountain you will camp from point to point, enjoying staggering sights along the way.
Discover moreMahale Mountains
Sitting right by the longest freshwater lake in the world, Mahale Mountains is the best place to visit for spotting chimpanzees in Tanzania. The region also offers plenty of opportunities to spot birds and aquatic life of all kinds.
Discover moreMwiba Wildlife Reserve
Marking the southernmost point of the wildebeest’s migration loop, Mwiba Wildlife Reserve is where the herds spread out across the wider region to calve between January and March. There is only one permanent camp option so you’re guaranteed unbeatable privacy and exclusivity. There is also the possibility of setting off on night drives.
Discover moreNgorongoro Crater
A great introduction to Tanzania, this nature wonderland offers you incredible sightings of the famous big five as well as a whole host of excellent plains game.
Discover moreNorth Serengeti
The North Serengeti forms the border with the equally famous Maasai Mara of Kenya. This is the region where the herds are at their most concentrated during the migration, and it’s where you’ll see the infamous river crossings.
Discover moreNyerere National Park
Nyerere National Park is the largest game reserve in all eastern Africa. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region remains relatively untouched by humans but expect to see a huge concentration of elephants (almost half of all of Tanzania’s). With the mighty Rufiji River flowing through the reserve, visitors can also spot crocodiles and hippos.
Discover moreRuaha National Park
Ruaha National Park is the largest national park in Tanzania and East Africa. This pristine area has the same wildlife density and diversity of the Kruger, but with only around 1% of the visitors, so privacy is a given.
Discover moreSerengeti National Park
The Serengeti National Park is one of the world’s most famous national parks. It is host to Africa’s Great Migration where huge herds of wildebeest, zebra and antelope travel around before making their way into Kenya’s iconic Maasai Mara.
Discover moreSingita Grumeti
Singita Grumeti is Tanzania’s largest private reserve. The reserve is exclusive to Singita properties, which means privacy is a given. The region offers unrivalled game viewing experiences, and especially during the Great Wildebeest Migration between the months of June and July.
Discover moreTarangire National Park
Tarangire National Park is home to huge herds of elephants. There are also over 550 bird species including the Yellow-collared Lovebirds and the world’s heaviest flying bird, the Kori Bustard. Depending on the time of the year, you can also see the migratory wildebeest.
Discover moreZanzibar
The African island of Zanzibar, paired with its Arabian history, makes for an excellent safari add-on. With intriguing architecture evident in the main town, Stone Town, you will be able to experience a mix of culture and landscape with pristine beaches and crystal clear waters.
Discover moreMeet your Africa team
When to visit
Tanzania is an amazing destination to visit all year round, but if you’re after the Great Migration, visit between June and July. The iconic river crossings take place from August to October and calves are born at the start of the year, with up to 8000 born daily during February. November to June is best for birdlife.
Bird spotting
November–June
Green season
January–February
Great Migration
June–October
Plan your trip to the Lake Manyara
Whatever you want from your adventure in Lake Manyara, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
All the coordination from the time we entered the country being toured until we left was handled in a seamless and professional manner. Every accommodation was first class, and all employed staff members in the overnight venues were truly professional. The only exception was the airline chosen for internal flights. Their performance was very uneven and disjointed.
We booked our travel to Tanzania and Kenya for our 25th wedding anniversary. Jacada travels This one of the most memorable trips we’ve ever taken. They were always with us throughout the trip without being overbearing and constantly in communication as we were traveling with younger kids. The places that jacads suggested Were top-notch and we felt like we were…
Jacada were amazing all the way from designing our trip to guiding us throughout the journey. Our trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar was truly a once in a lifetime experience. We had knowledgeable, passionate guides on safari and stayed in beautiful accommodations throughout.
Our Tanzania Safari was the second trip through Jacada. Jacada continued to live up to our expectations of personalized experience and attention to detail. Our travel designer (Jamey) and travel concierge (Betty) worked tirelessly to ensure that we had the travel experience we wanted. They took our feedback and made adjustments to the trip. During the trip, we had great…
Jacada was helpful and responsive every step of the process. Jamey Lowis designed our amazing trip to Tanzania. He spent time figuring out what my family was interested in and created the best itinerary. Our Serengeti safari was fabulous. We stayed at the Olakira migration camp, where everyone was wonderful. Our guide, Daniel, was top notch and went out of…
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