Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park sits in northern Tanzania between the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Tarangire, covering approximately 125 square miles of varied habitat including groundwater forest, open woodland, and the shallow alkaline lake that dominates much of the park. The lake attracts large flocks of flamingos and over 300 migratory bird species, making it one of Tanzania’s top birding destinations.
The park is best known for its tree-climbing lions, a rare behaviour observed here and in only a handful of other places in Africa. Elephants, hippos, giraffes, zebras, baboons, and buffalos are all common throughout the park. Lake Manyara is typically visited as part of the northern Tanzania circuit alongside Tarangire, Serengeti, and Ngorongoro, and is a 1.5-hour drive from Arusha.