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TANZANIA
LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
To request a private safari tour of Lake Manyara NP, Tanzania, click here >>> |
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This
unusual park lies in the shadow of the Great Rift
Valley whose reddish brown escarpment wall looms
1,950 feet high (600 metres) on the eastern horizon.
Waterfalls spill over the cliff and hot springs
bubble to the surface in the south.
Much of the park often appears
to be in a heat haze created by the soda lake
- Lake Manyara. The lake attracts considerable
birdlife, and its surrounding terrain contains
such a rich mosaic of different habitats that
it supports a large number of animals.
The park is accessed
by road via the village of Mto wa Mbu, an eclectic
market town where several tribes have converged
to form a linguistic mix like nowhere else in
Africa.
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| ANIMALS
AND BIRDS
Such diverse surroundings attract equally diverse
species such as monkeys, antelopes, zebras, hippos
and crocodiles, buffalo, giraffe and a high density
of elephants. The park is particularly known for
its tree-climbing lions, who may be seen sleeping
off the heat of the day on a branch instead of
a shady spot on the ground like most other lions.
Fish-eating birds
inhabiting the lake include pelicans, storks,
cormorants and Egyptian geese. Flamingoes colour
the lake pink as they arrive to feed at the lake
during their migration. One unforgettable sight
is a giant flock of red billed quelea who gather
in their thousands and waft over the water like
a giant swarm of insects.
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| SEASONS
Rainy
Season: Short rains are November and
December when it gets hot and humid, and the long
rains are from March to June. These are the best
times for bird watching, waterfalls and canoeing.
Dry Season: typically it is dry
in the cooler winter months of July to October,
which is the best time to view game.
LAKE
MANYARA SPECIALITIES
• Diverse scenery and animals
• Tree-climbing lions
• An abundance of elephants
• Water birds in abundance
FACTS
The park is 78 miles (125 km) west of Arusha town,
from where it is a half an hour flight or a two-hour
drive.
It attained National Park status in 1960.
The park is 127 miles² (330 km²) of
which 89 miles² (230 km²) is Lake Manyara.
Tanzania National Parks contact details: Tel:
+255 (27) 254 8040, Fax: +255 (27) 254 8216, www.tanapa.com
This is a malarial area.
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Follow
the links below to Tanzania's premier wildlife regions and
game reserves.
PRIVATE SAFARI LODGES WE RECOMMEND IN THE LAKE MANYARA REGION |
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Home | Game Reserve Index | Wildlife Checklist | Bird Checklist
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