Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park is a compact gem nestled between the dramatic western escarpment of the Great Rift Valley and the soda waters of Lake Manyara. Despite its relatively small size of 648 square kilometers, two-thirds of which is the lake itself, the park packs an incredible diversity of habitats and wildlife into its narrow strip of land. The park is famous for its tree-climbing lions, vast flocks of flamingos that paint the lakeshore pink, and its dense groundwater forest teeming with primates. Ernest Hemingway once described it as 'the loveliest [lake] I had seen in Africa.' It serves as an excellent introduction to Tanzania's northern safari circuit and is easily combined with visits to the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti.