Lake Manyara National Park sits at the base of the Rift Valley escarpment and packs groundwater forest, acacia woodland, floodplains and a soda lake into a relatively small, easy-to-explore area. The park is best known for its tree-climbing lions and large elephant herds, along with flocks of flamingo along the lake shore when water levels allow.
Because it’s compact, Lake Manyara works well as a first or last stop on a northern Tanzania circuit, easing travellers in before the wider plains of the Serengeti or the crater floor of Ngorongoro. Eastern Voyage Safaris includes it in most Tanzania and combined Kenya-Tanzania itineraries.
