For tourists preparing to embark on their Tanzania safari, Lake Manyara National Park provides an unusual experience, an insider’s treat hidden between Arusha and Manyara districts.
The park integrates a captivating mix of diverse habitat and wildlife in an awe-inspiring experience from its mountaintop ledge to dense forest, then the naturally renowned Rift Valley soda lake.
The icing on the cake is, however, its tree climbing lions, one of the world’s most wonderful spectacles for travelers exploring Tanzania to witness.
Lake Manyara’s hidden heights: The tree climbing lions
One of the true safari highlights’, and an exceptionally rare spectacle, is the view of lions lazing about in the tops of trees. The Lake Manyara’s famous tree-climbing lions are the only kind of their species in the world, they make the ancient mahogany and elegant acacias their home during the rainy season, and are a well-known but rather rare feature of the northern park.
In contrast to other lions, who adore life on the ground, the Manyara prides are adept climbers, taking refuge in the old mahogany and lovely acacia trees. This is a fascinating demonstration of their adaptability. While scientists speculate that this is a behavior that lies within the purview of all lions, it is in Lake Manyara that it is best demonstrated, and so it is an experience not to be missed for those who seek something truly unique.
A bird watchers’ paradise: Flamingos and much more
The alkaline soda of Lake Manyara is home to an incredible array of bird life that thrives on its brackish waters.The shores of the lake, encrusted with pink flamingo; attract more than 400 species of birds, many of them waterfowl or migrants. Large herds of buffalo, cheetah, Masai giraffe and impala roam the lake shores and the forested valley slopes.
Beyond the Lions: A Tapestry of Natural Beauty
A Lake Manyara safari is a fascinating experience, as the park also features a ground-water forest, acacia tortilis woodland and hot springs called Maji Moto. Troops of several hundred olive baboon appear alongside Sykes monkey and short-eared galago. Cape clawless otter, Egyptian mongoose, hippo and klipspringer are other park residents.