Lake Manyara National Park

• Address: Karatu, Tanzania
• Area: 325 km²
• Foundation date: 1960.

Lake Manyara National Park is located in the north of Tanzania , 125 kilometers from the city of Arusha , between two other famous national parks - Ngorongoro and Tarangire. It is located between the alkali lake Manyara (which is also part of the park) and the cliff of the Great African Rift. The area of ​​the reserve is 330 km ² . The beauty of this place was best said by Ernest Hemingway, who noted that this is the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen in Africa.

The territory was declared a reserve in 1957, in 1960 the reserve was granted the status of National Park. In 1981, Lake Manyara and the National Park were included in the list of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. There are car safaris and walking tours (there are special hiking trails); if desired, you can also make bicycling through its expanses.

Flora and fauna

The Lake Manyara Reserve abounds in animals. In forest thickets, baboons, blue monkeys and other primates live. On the grassy plains of the floodplain, there are herds of zebras, wildebeest, buffaloes, elephants, rhinoceroses, warthogs. They are hunted by cheetahs living here. On the inner territory of the floodplain is a narrow strip of acacia trees that are eaten by giraffes. Here also live without exaggeration unique lions - unlike all the other of their brethren, they climb trees and often rest on the branches of acacias. In the shade of these trees dwell mongooses and miniature dikdiki.

The lake occupies a significant part of the reserve: in the rainy period - up to 70% of the territory (from 200 to 230 km & sup2), and in the arid - only about 30% (about 98 km & sup2). Here live large families of hippos, huge crocodiles. There is a record number of birds on the lake - for some of them it serves as a permanent home, and for others - as a trans-shipment base. Here you can see pink flamingos, the color of their plumage is determined by the diet - it is mainly composed of crustaceans. There are also several heron herons, cranes, pelicans (white and red), marabou, ibis and other birds - more than 400 species.

In the southern part of the National Park of Manyara, hot springs with a water temperature of about 80 ° C are striking; they are rich in sodium and carbonates.

How and when to visit the park?

If you want to watch lions, elephants, giraffes and other large animals - the park is best visited in the period from July to October. The rainy season - from November to June - is best suited for bird watching. Then you can also go canoeing on the lake, because at this time it becomes more full. In principle, you can come here at any time, but in August and September there is less activity of animals and a decline in their population.

You can get to the park from Kilimanjaro International Airport in about two hours or from Arusha for one and a half. Lake Manyara National Park offers to stay in one of the most upscale hotels and campsites. If you want exotics, the houses built right on the trees will do.