Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania

Contact a specialist about visiting Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania

Ernest Hemingway called this lake 'the most beautiful lake in all Africa'. Lake Manyara National Park is at the base of the 600m high Rift Valley Escarpment within a couple of hours drive from Arusha.

• Sarah Chatteris

Usually Lake Manyara is the first park visited on the northern circuit safari. The Lake itself is a shallow, alkaline lake which attracts masses of pink flamingos. A narrow strip of forest runs between the lake and the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley wall which forms the border to the park. Within this forest there is permanent fresh spring water trickling from the rift wall and this supports a great deal of wildlife.

The park is well known for its herds of elephants, and for its unusual tree-climbing lions. This was the location for the comprehensive research and subsequent book "Among the Elephants" by Iain and Oria Douglas-Hamilton. The park is also home to hippos, baboons, giraffes, zebra, wildebeest, and is particularly good for bird watching with over 380 species having been recorded.

The park is excellent all year around there are two wonderful lodges close by on the escarpment, overlooking the Great Rift Valley with this magnificent lake and park.

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