Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park lies at the foot of the steep Rift Valley escarpment. In a short drive you pass from groundwater forest to open grassland and down to the shores of a soda lake.

The park is known for its lions that rest in the branches of acacia trees, a habit that scientists still cannot fully explain, and for flamingos that gather on the lake when the water level is right. Roughly a third of its 330 square kilometers is water, so it is a wonderful park for birdwatchers as well as for classic safari animals.