The lowest – key of the trial of reserves situated between Lake Victoria and the main Arusha-Dodoma road, Lake Manyara has a fabulous situation at the base of the Rift Valley and is a worthy addition to any itinerary taking in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro.
The small park’s once famous elephant population suffered badly at the hands of poachers in the 1980s, but it is well on the way to recovery today, and the elephants are perhaps the least jittery anywhere in Tanzania.
Manyara is also renowned for its tree-climbing lions, and the large flocks of flamingo that sometimes congregate on the lake.
A recent development at Manyara is a number of adventure activities – canoeing, mountain biking, walking and abseiling run out of the Serena Hotel.
There is one lodge in the park, a lovely campsites at the gate, and accommodation to suit all budgets within 5km of the gate.
