Lake Manyara National Park safaris, tours & holiday packages
A perfect start to your Tanzanian safariCustom Lake Manyara National Park
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Savannah-woodland, rainforest and lake combine to put on a show of elephants, tree-climbing lions, primates and birds
Lake Manyara makes a perfect start to a safari, just a 1.5-hour drive west of Arusha in northern Tanzania, on the way to Ngorongoro and the Serengeti. It gives you a chance to see plains game, primates and up to 400 bird species in a 50-kilometre strip of rainforest and savannah-woodland between the Great Rift Valley’s Gregory Rift and the soda lake of Lake Manyara.
The park is well protected between these two natural boundaries. Lake Manyara was originally proclaimed to protect elephants, and the small Manyara elephants with their short tusks still roam the rain and fever tree forests in abundance.
Popular Lake Manyara National Park safaris
These popular itineraries can be customised to match your budget and travel dates
Tanzania safari adventure - Itinerary
With all of this diversity on offer, the most difficult part of your Tanzanian holiday experience is likely to be deciding where to go!
$ 2,350
£ 1,851
R 34,183
€ 2,068
per person
7 daysThe Migration - calving season January to March
This four-in-one calving season safari includes not only the Serengeti, but Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Ngorogoro Crater
$ 7,985
£ 6,289
R 116,150
€ 7,027
per person
11 daysFebruary Calving Season Safari in Tanzania
Visit Tanzania during the calving season to see wildebeest calves join the massive herds making their way through the Serengeti for the great migration.
$ 7,595
£ 5,982
R 110,477
€ 6,683
per person
9 daysTanzania - medium budget, maximum game viewing
Visit Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Ngorogoro Crater and Serengeti for a four-in-one safari you'll remember forever
$ 6,980
£ 5,498
R 101,531
€ 6,142
per person
11 daysWildlife and culture – the perfect balance
Balance Tanzania's wildlife highlights, such as the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, with the rich cultural heritage of local tribes like the Masai
$ 4,756
£ 3,746
R 69,181
€ 4,185
per person
11 daysTanzania Classic SkySafari
The ultimate African adventure
$ 7,330
£ 5,773
R 106,622
€ 6,450
per person
8 daysWet season Tanzania - best value migration safari
From Lake Manyara to the Ngorogoro Crater and the Serengeti, this Tanzania safari offers real value and shows off the burgeoning green world of Tanzania's rainy season migration
$ 6,525
£ 5,139
R 94,912
€ 5,742
per person
8 daysTanzania honeymoon safari
Enjoy the wildlife of Tanzania as well as the paradise of Zanzibar
Price on Request
per person
13 daysTanzania Affordable Calving Season with HerdTracker
Few things compare to watching a wildebeest calf take off soon after birth.
$ 6,185
£ 4,872
R 89,967
€ 5,443
per person
9 days
“Lake Manyara is a wonderful first park to visit in Tanzania. It shows you a great variety of species, plains game, primates, elephant and even cats if you're lucky. It's very scenic during the rainy seasons and a wonderful park to kick off your safari. Even when Tarangire is too wet, Manyara is always there to rely on.”
More on Lake Manyara National Park holidays
The groundwater forest as you enter the park from the north is perfect if you're interested in forest birds and primates, with vervet and Sykes' monkeys and olive baboons in the area. You'll hear and see silvery-cheeked hornbills and crowned hornbills up in the branches. Around the hot springs, you might see tree-climbing lions and even leopard if you're lucky.
Other wildlife attractions are plains game in the form of gazelle, wildebeest, giraffe and buffalo, while hippo and water birds are aplenty at the hippo pool lookout. Highlights include pelicans and storks as well as thousands of pink-hued flamingos when the lake's water level and algae concentrations are right. Spend a night inside the park for the full Lake Manyara experience of early morning and late afternoon; going on a night drive or early morning walk are some of the Manyara's most enjoyable activities.
Lake Manyara National Park Map
Lake Manyara National Park's location on Google Maps
Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Manyara National Park
A Grumeti safari is rewarding throughout the year. However, the best time to visit Grumeti Game Reserve is during the migration months of June and July - when massive herds of wildebeest arrive to cross the crocodile-infested Grumeti River… go there.
The best time to visit Arusha National Park is from June to October, during the dry season. It is easier to spot the wildlife - since they normally gather around the waterholes, rainfall is minimal, vegetation is not too thick and mosquitos… go there.
The best time to visit Zanzibar Island is from June to October - during the dry months of spring. However, another popular time to visit the tropical Island is from December to February - when it’s hot and dry. go there.
Rubondo Island National Park is best visited in the dry months of July to February. The jungle is less humid - however, there are also less mosquito’s and the temperatures are not as extreme. go there.
June to August during the dry season, is the best time to visit Saanane Island National Park. This season is great for game drives, picnic as well as rock hiking. go there.
June to October is the best time to visit Mkomazi National Park. During the dry season - when the wildlife viewing is at its prime. go there.
July to October, during the dry months - is the best time to track the chimpanzees in Mahale Mountains National Park. Chimpanzees can be found easily on the low mountains slopes. go there.
June to October is the best time to visit Mikumi National Park. During the dry season, the wildlife concentrate around waterholes and rivers - making it easier to spot them. go there.
There is no need to go overboard with fitness preparation for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. However, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a physical undertaking, so you should prepare yourself accordingly with a Kilimanjaro training program. Being in… go there.
Reviews on our Lake Manyara National Park safaris
Discover Africa and Carel has put in such an effort for us to experience the annual wildebeest migration, meticulous planning and accurate predictions with logical and the best accommodation options both sides of the Mara River guaranteed us…
Jates and Hil Oettle
from South Africa
After initially contacting Discover Africa, Karl Svendsen contacted me and we started the process of getting a quote and defining an itinerary for a safari to Tanzania. Karl was extremely professional and timely in his responses and in short…
Fantastic safari and excellent logistics!
from United States
I just wanted to thank Discover Africa and Karl Svendsen - the safari was great - we saw many more animals than expected including cheetah, leopard, many lions and even a three-day old elephant calf. Additionally, we had our own hippo…
Margaret Dean
We had the most wonderful time in Tanzania. We left yesterday and miss it already. We saw the big 5 and felt super lucky to see the lions and leopard with their kill. Our guide was also wonderful. Thank YOU for planning our trip of a…
Debbie Wei
All details were covered, all staff and food excellent, service was perfect - would highly recommend for sure.
Ron
from United States of America
We had a wonderful experience with the Discover Africa team on our trip to Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. Due to unforeseen circumstances we needed to head down early and their team were most helpful in arranging exciting new options for us while…
Mark Tomlinson
from South Africa
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