Perhaps the biggest reason to visit the wonderful continent of Africa is the teeming wildlife it’s blessed with. Lake Manyara is in the National Park it gives its name to. The shallow alkaline lake is 89 square miles of the 127 square miles park.  Established in 1960, the park sits pretty in the East African Rift in the Arusha region of Tanzania.

People are drawn to the park for many reasons. You can see a wide range of natural habitat in this one space. Groundwater forests, grassy plains, acacia woodlands, and tall volcanic peaks are some of them. The park was established to protect the elephant. Today, you’ll find large numbers of elephants in the park. The population of baboons in the park are the largest to be found anywhere in the world. Among the animals you can hope to spot are the tree climbing lions, impalas, buffalo, elephants, giraffe, small antelope, wildebeest, and warthogs. Leopards are present in large numbers too but it’s not easy to find them. Of much larger numbers are the birds. The park is home to 400 species of birds from the pink flamingos to the sacred ibis. People spend days in the park, mesmerised by the awesome sight of such number of birds in one location.

There are many ways to vacation at Lake Manyara. Go to watch the migration that takes place at Lake Manyara. Since the park is situated in the Kwakuchinja wildlife corridor, you can catch a glimpse of the animals moving between parks and spaces. For this, July to October is the ideal time to plan a visit. You can hope to see wildebeest and zebras make the trip. For the birds, go during the rainy season from November to June.

You can’t go to Africa and not enjoy a safari. Make Arusha your starting point. Journey through the Masai Steppe and head to Lake Manyara National Park. Plantations will greet you as you head up to the Great Rift Valley and then to Lake Manyara. You can easily spend a day here, taking in the sight. Head to Ngorongoro Crater before you reach the Serengeti National Park, easily the most well-known game reserve in the world. Lake Manyara is close to many other important parks and a visitor can and should take advantage of it.

In fact, try a sampler- ask your tour guide to organise a trip through the best national parks in Tanzania. Apart from the destinations already mentioned, you can also go to Tarangire National Park.

Some operators will give you a sky safari, a chance to see the lake from above. Imagine the vista of countless birds of different colours and sizes fill the landscape. It is sure to make for an unforgettable sight.

The Manyara Tree Camp is a super luxurious and exclusive hotel in the park. It’s a popular choice for the elite traveller. Chem Chem Lodge is high-end as well and its location means no noisy fellow visitors. Lemala Manyara Camp gives you tented accommodation and is very comfortable as well. The other tented space is Maramboi.