A day trip to Lake Manyara National Park is an exciting chance to get a feel for the real Africa. Lake Manyara is an unspoiled paradise of groundwater lakes fed by underground springs and teeming with wildlife.
Overview
One of Africa’s premier birding destinations, it’s also a fantastic place to see Africa’s most iconic animals from massive elephants and cape buffalo to the famous tree-climbing lions who call the park home.
Itinerary
You'll depart from Arusha after breakfast and begin the drive to Lake Manyara National Park. The journey takes approximately two hours, but we'll pass through the market town of Mto Wa Mbu along the way. This agricultural and fresh produce market is a melting pot of local cultures and a souvenir hunter's paradise.
After a brief stop at the village market, you'll enter Lake Manyara National Park. The park is truly a photographer's playground and offers some of the best game viewing in the world. You can expect to see many of Africa's most well-known animals, with the tree-climbing lions a particular treat. These proud predators lounge in acacia trees practically begging to be photographed.
Bird-watchers will find Lake Manyara is an absolute delight, with a huge variety of birds on display in the park. Even the novice can expect to be amazed by large flamingo flocks, circling birds of prey, and the brightly coloured lilac breasted roller.
You'll return to Arusha in the late afternoon.
Under the right conditions, it is also possible to take a guided canoe safari out on the lake. Consult your safari expert to see if this activity will be available for your visit.
Price includes:
- All Taxes / VAT
- Park Fees
- Airport Transfer
- Accommodation as Mentioned in Itinerary
- 1-3 Meals a day Mentioned in Itinerary
- Bottled Water (1.5 Liter per person per day)
- Activities as mentiioned in tour description
- Transportation as mentioned, Toyota Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and Toyota Noah minivan for airport transfer
- A professional guide / driver
Price excludes
- International Flights
- Visa Fees
- Travel Insurance
- Drinks (Soda, Alcohol)
- Tips
- Vaccination
- Laundry
- Other Personal Items
You will require a passport valid for at least six months after your date of entry. If you are arriving from a country in which Yellow Fever is endemic (such as Kenya), you will require an immunization certificate or health card.
Citizens of the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, and most countries in the EU, need a tourist visa to enter Tanzania. Application details and forms can be found on Tanzanian Embassy web sites.
As with all visa matters — contact your local Tanzanian Embassy for the latest information
High-end lodges and restaurants will clean their produce in antiseptic solution, but to be on the safe side, fruit and vegetables should always be washed and peeled. Try to avoid eating in empty restaurants – the food may have been sitting out for some time – and order your meat well done. On the coast, seafood and fish are usually fresh, but make sure everything is well-cooked.
Also, much of the accommodations are tented camps. These tents tend to be tightly sealed and zipped tight avoiding the need for mosquito netting. Furthermore, at most camps/lodges, while you enjoy dinner, housekeeping will complete a turndown service and spray the rooms with mosquito repellent. Regardless of mosquito netting, you should always bring insect repellent with DEET, trousers/slacks, sports/long sleeved shirt and/or blouse and dress/skirt for ladies.
It is often warm on the plains and at lower altitudes but cold in the hilly and mountainous areas; a rain jacket, fleece and good quality walking shoes/boots are essential.
With close to 1,150 species of birds, of which 23 species are endemic and 36 species globally threatened, Tanzania ranks as one of the top birding destinations in Africa, and the second most varied avifauna of any country on the African continent.
