Safari destination · Northern Circuit
Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park is the overture of the Tanzanian safari, and like all great overtures it contains every theme that follows.
2 Hours
1 night
Jan, Feb, Mar +7
Fly-in possible
About
About Lake Manyara National Park.
Lake Manyara National Park is the overture of the Tanzanian safari, and like all great overtures it contains every theme that follows. The park begins in a groundwater forest so lush it feels borrowed from another continent, where blue monkeys move through the canopy and ancient mahogany trees rise from streams fed by the Rift Valley escarpment towering overhead. Within minutes the forest opens onto floodplains, then acacia woodland, then the shimmering alkaline lake itself, often rimmed pink with thousands of flamingos. Few parks anywhere offer this much ecological variety in a single game drive. Manyara's most famous residents are its tree climbing lions, one of only a handful of populations in Africa known for draping themselves along the high branches of acacia and mahogany trees through the heat of the day. Sightings are never guaranteed, which makes finding them feel like a genuine discovery rather than a scheduled stop. Elephants are abundant and famously relaxed here, baboon troops number in the hundreds, and with over four hundred recorded species this is one of the finest birdwatching destinations in northern Tanzania. Most itineraries treat Manyara as a brief stop on the road to Ngorongoro. Travelers who give it a full day find a different park entirely: a canopy walkway threading through the treetops, hippo pools busy in the morning light, and the strange beauty of the lakeshore where pelicans, storks and flamingos gather against the backdrop of the escarpment wall. Small, intimate and endlessly varied, Lake Manyara rewards the traveler who slows down on day one, before the great plains pull them onward.
Government fees
Fees at Lake Manyara National Park.
Pass-through to the Tanzanian government — paid directly to the authority on top of accommodation. We always itemise every line on our quotes. TDL applies on top at 1% of net room rate.
| Fee | Amount | Peak | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Concession Fee | $47.20 | — | Per person / night |
| Adult Entry Fee | $53.10 | $59.00 | Per person / day |
| Child Concession Fee | $11.80 | — | Per person / night |
| Child Entry Fee | $17.70 | — | Per person / day |
| TDL (Tanzania Development Levy) | 1% of room | — | Per room / night |
| Vehicle Fee | $17.70 | — | Per vehicle / day (24-hour permit) |
Getting there
Drive times to other destinations.
Approximate dry-season drive times in a private 4×4. Legs marked as productive game viewing are themselves part of the safari experience. Long legs that need an overnight midway, or transfers we always fly, are flagged in the note column.
| Destination | Drive time | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Karatu | 1 hr | Transit drive |
| Tarangire National Park | 1 hr 30 min | Transit drive |
| Arusha City | 2 hrs | Transit drive |
| Ngorongoro Crater | 2 hrs | Transit drive |
| Ndutu Ngorongoro Conservation | 4 hr 30 min | Game-viewing drive |
| Seronera Central Serengeti | 6 hrs | Game-viewing drive |
| Grumeti Western Serengeti | 9 hrs | Game-viewing drive |
| Kogatende Northern Serengeti (Mara River) | 10 hr 30 min | Two-day drive (overnight in Seronera) or fly |
| Lamai Northern Serengeti | 11 hrs | Two-day drive (overnight in Seronera) or fly |
Keep reading
Related to your trip.
Pricing
How safari pricing works.
Park fees, lodge tiers, transport ranges. Everything line-itemised.
Seasons
When to visit.
Month-by-month calendar. Where the migration is each month.
Lodges
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Lodges and camps across every destination.
Common questions
Tanzania safari FAQ.
Planning, lodges, park fees, transport — answered.