Lake Manyara National Park is found in northern Tanzania, about 120 kilometers (1.5 hrs) from Arusha. Situated between Lake Manyara and the Great Rift Valley, the small but beautiful park covers an area of 325 sq. kilometers, with the lake surface covering about 230 sq. kilometers.

Since the 1920’s until 1957, the wider Lake Manyara area was used for sports hunting before attaining a park status in 1970. The verdant Lake Manyara, which American writer Ernest Hemingway once described as “The Loveliest I have seen in Africa” was a setting for the earliest Tarzan films.

The park offers the discerning traveler a wilderness experience amidst its diverse habitats, ranging from the Rift Valley Soda Lake to dense woodlands and steep mountainsides. World renowned for its spectacular setting, Lake Manyara is famous among wildlife lovers as one of the few East African parks where the rare tree climbing Lions can be regularly sighted lounging on trees, and vast Elephant herds that the park was established to protect.

The shores of its soda lake attract the colorful Pink Flamingos with the park known to be home to over 400 species of birds including migrants that visit seasonally. The open plains that form part of Lake Manyara’s habitat are home to herds of Elephants and Zebras, with Masai Giraffes and Impalas roaming the lake shores and the forested valley slopes. Other notable residents include Sykes monkey, Short-eared Galago, Cape clawless otter, Egyptian mongoose and klipspringer.

Lake Manyara National Park is truly an unspoiled paradise of ground water forest, supplied by underground springs. Here, you will find some of the largest baboon troupes in Africa. At Lake Manyara, you will be treated to a fascinating experience at the hot springs that locals call Maji Moto, and you might want to dip your finger to feel how hot it can get. While visiting northern Tanzania, a one-night stay or day trip to Lake Manyara is highly recommended, as it is one that will leave you with lifetime memories.