Lake Manyara is a compact park with a lot of variety. Within a short drive you move from tall forest to open shoreline, with the Rift Valley wall rising behind.
Where it is
The park is in northern Tanzania, between Lake Manyara and the Great Rift Valley escarpment, about 126 kilometres southwest of Arusha, roughly 1.5 hours by car.
The groundwater forest
Near the park gate there is a tall forest fed by groundwater, with fig and mahogany trees. It is a surprise if you have only seen open savanna.
The lake
Large flocks of flamingos feed along the lake in the wet season, though numbers vary from year to year.
The escarpment
The Rift Valley wall on the western side reaches roughly 1,200 to 1,800 metres above sea level, while the lake itself sits at about 960 metres.
Birds
More than 390 bird species have been documented. Bring binoculars and read iconic birds of a Kenya safari.
Biosphere reserve
The park is part of the Lake Manyara Biosphere Reserve, which UNESCO established in 1981.
Combine it with Tarangire
Lake Manyara works well with Tarangire National Park on a northern Tanzania circuit. Tell us your dates and what you most want to see, and we will plan the route.
A lake that changes
Lake Manyara is a shallow alkaline lake whose depth and surface area change a great deal. When full it is up to about 3 metres deep and covers about two-thirds of the park, and in the wet season it can stretch about 40 kilometres by 15 kilometres. In a 2010 survey the average depth was just 0.81 metres. In extreme dry periods it can shrink or dry up completely.
Flamingos
Flocks of thousands of flamingos feed along the lake edge in the wet season. A 1991 count estimated 1,900,000 non-breeding lesser flamingos and 40,000 greater flamingos. In the dry season only small numbers of flamingos and other waterbirds are usually present.
Elephants and other wildlife
Baboons, Masai giraffe and elephants are among the park’s herbivores, and there is a hippo pool at the northern end of the lake. Elephant numbers fell by about 75 percent between 1985 and 1991 because of illegal hunting, then recovered to around 200 by 1996.
History
The area was a game reserve from 1957 and became a national park in 1960.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Lake Manyara National Park?
In northern Tanzania, about 126 kilometres southwest of Arusha, roughly 1.5 hours by car.
What is special about the park?
A groundwater forest, a lake with flamingos in the wet season and the Rift Valley escarpment in one park.
How many bird species are there?
More than 390 have been documented.
Is it a biosphere reserve?
Yes, part of the Lake Manyara Biosphere Reserve, established by UNESCO in 1981.
Does Lake Manyara dry up?
Its depth changes a great deal, and in extreme dry periods it can shrink or dry up completely.
When did Lake Manyara become a national park?
In 1960, after being a game reserve from 1957.
How many flamingos visit?
A 1991 count estimated 1,900,000 lesser and 40,000 greater flamingos. Numbers vary with the season.
Want help planning? Talk to our team and tell us your dates, who is travelling and what you would like to see.
Facts checked on 5 November 2026 from Wikipedia’s Lake Manyara National Park entry (secondary source). The source gave conflicting park-size figures, so none is stated here.
