Lake Manyara National Park
From Arusha, it is less than 2 hours drive to Lake Manyara National Park, known for its sheer beauty and nestled between the rock formations of the Great Rift Valley and Lake Manyara.
When you drive into the National Park, you can imagine yourself in a tropical jungle full of monkeys, waterfalls, babbling brooks and crystal clear water and hot springs. The road leads you on through the forest to open grasslands, woods, marshes and eventually Lake Manyara. The lake has an area of 390 km2 and is home to large herds of elephants (the greatest density of all of Tanzania per km2), buffalo, giraffes, impalas, hippos and a wide variety of small animals.
Lake Manyara National Park is famous for the tree-climbing lions and if luck is on your side, chances are you'll see them. The bird lover will satisfied here. Nearly 500 species of birds are concentrated primarily around the lake. Herons, pelicans, osprey and the thousands of pink flamingos are a real treat for the eyes.
