Maasai Wanderings

‘All I wanted to do now was get back to Africa. We had not left it, yet, but when I would wake in the night I would lie, listening, homesick for it already’.

Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park possesses an unexpectedly striking setting and peaceful surrounding. Dramatically bordered by the sheer wall of the Rift Valley on one side and the shores of the lake on the other, this thin stretch of land hordes diverse habitats which in turn host a remarkable variety of wildlife.

When waters are high, the alkaline lake covers about two-thirds of the 330 sq km national park and shimmers pink with its mantle of flamingos, pelicans and stork. These are just a few of the more than 400 recorded species in the park, making it a bird-watchers paradise.

The open grasslands between the lake and the acacia woodland are littered with wildebeest, zebra, impala and giraffe as well as the country’s densest population of buffalo. Elephants amble majestically through the acacia woodland and a keen eye can spot the parks renowned tree-climbing lions. The lush groundwater forest is home to troops of baboon and vervet monkeys and a myriad bird species.

Lake Manyara National Park is often included in an itinerary with Serengeti National Park and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Despite their close proximity, each has their own identifiable ecological system and topography, therefore the wildlife and climates are broad ranging. Half a day is usually spent game driving in Lake Manyara, with an unforgettable option being a night game drive and bush dinner. July to October is best for viewing large mammals, while the Park’s birdlife is on display in the wetter months between November and June.