Lake Manyara national park tours : Lake Manyara national park is a destination which is famous for wildlife viewing during safaris in the northern part of Tanzania.
The national park is known for tree climbing lions which can be seen during safaris around the destination which is also home to other wildlife species such as elephants, buffalos, zebras, hippos, giraffes, impalas, bushbucks, leopards, warthogs, klipspringers, dik dik and many others.
Lake Manyara national park is also home to many bird species which can be seen during a tour around the destination such as flamingos which can be seen along the shores of Lake Manyara, pelicans, storks, hornbills, spoonbills, eagles, kingfishers among others.
The best time for wildlife viewing around Lake Manyara national park is during the dry season around June to October while the best time for bird watching is during the months of November and April. In the low season around March and May, the prices of the safari are discounted and there are few tourists visiting Tanzania for safaris.
During tours in Lake Manyara national park, there are different activities which are carried out including day game drives and night game drives, cultural tours, canoeing, bird watching, nature walks or guided walks, canopy walks among others.
Game drives during tours in Lake Manyara national park are carried out in the morning, afternoon and also in the night. The national park is among the few destinations in Tanzania where night game drives can be carried out as tourists enjoy searching for nocturnal wildlife species at the destination. Wildlife viewing around Lake Manyara national park can be carried out at any time of the year including the dry season and the rainy season.
Another way to enjoy a tour around Lake Manyara national park is by engaging in nature walks which involve exploring the surroundings of the national park on foot with a ranger guide while getting to know more about the national park, its attractions and also wildlife viewing on foot since the walking safaris are done off the usual tracks followed during game drives.
The national park also offers amazing views of the rift valley escarpment and also consists of varied landscape which acts as habitat for the wildlife species such as grasslands, floodplain and also forests. The alkaline lake also makes up a big part of Lake Manyara national park and it is also a major attraction at the destination.
Canoeing is also done in Lake Manyara national park when the water levels are high enough. This activity takes about 3 to 4 hours and wildlife species such as hippos, elephants, buffalos among others can be seen along the lake shores as well as various bird species.
Canopy walks along the treetop walkway is another experience which can be done during tours around Lake Manyara national park. This activity is carried out close to the entrance of the national park in the forested areas and involves walking along a suspended bridge which is about 18 meters off the ground and about 370 meters long.
Cultural tours are also part of the tour experience in Lake Manyara national park and involve interactions with the locals living in the surrounding areas of the national park. The Maasai are among the locals who tourists interact with during tours in Tanzania. These cultural tours can be done in Mto wa mbu town which is located close to the national park.
Safaris to Lake Manyara national park despite its small size is a destination which can be visited for day tours and also for longer safaris in Tanzania.
Park entrance fees for Lake Manyara national park
When visiting Lake Manyara national park for tours, park entrance fee is among what tourists are charged to be allowed to enter the national park. The fees below exclude 18% tax charged on fees;
Nonresidents are charged park entrance fee of 50 USD in the peak season and 45 USD in the low season for tourists above the age of 16 years while children between the age of 5 and 15 years are charged entrance fee of 15 USD.
Residents or expatriates visiting Lake Manyara national park for tours in Tanzania are charged park entrance fee of 25 USD in the peak season and 22.5 USD in the low season while children aged between 5 and 15 years are charged park entrance fee of 7.5 USD.
East Africans or Tanzanians visiting Lake Manyara national park are charged park entrance fee of 10,000 Tanzania shillings for those above the age of 16 years while children aged between 5 and 15 years are charged park entrance fee of 2,000 Tanzania shillings.
How to get to Lake Manyara national park
Lake Manyara national park is located about 130 kilometers from Arusha town and is about 2 to 3 hours’ drive from Arusha.
Another way to access Lake Manyara national park during tours in Tanzania is by flying to Lake Manyara airstrip and these flights take about 30 minutes to 40 minutes. Different domestic airlines offer flights to the national park during safaris such as flight link, Coastal aviation among others.
Tours to Lake Manyara national park can also be combined with other destinations found in the northern part of Tanzania such as Serengeti national park, Tarangire national park, the Ngorongoro conservation area, Arusha national park among others.
Visit Lake Manyara national park and enjoy a wildlife safari experience when exploring the savannah plains.
