Skip to content
A Jewel Beneath the Rift Valley Escarpment
Lake Manyara National Park sits at the base of the Great Rift Valley’s western escarpment in northern Tanzania, where dense groundwater forest gives way to open grassland and a shimmering soda lake. Its compact size belies a remarkable diversity of habitats.
The park is famous for its tree-climbing lions, a local behavioural quirk that sees prides resting in the branches of acacia and fig trees, as well as large troops of baboons and some of Tanzania’s densest elephant populations relative to park size. The lake itself, when water levels allow, attracts thousands of flamingos and other waterbirds along its shoreline.
Manyara’s varied scenery, from lush forest to open lake shore and escarpment views, makes for a rewarding half-day safari, often used as an entry point to Tanzania’s northern circuit before continuing on to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Its accessibility and biodiversity make it a worthwhile stop in its own right.
