If you want to see many birds and mammals in one spot, you've come to the right place. This national park in northern Tanzania provides a refuge not only to mammals such as buffalo and zebras but also to all sorts of birds, particularly flamingos. The park protects Lake Manyara and its surrounding lands and is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
3 Days safari and 3 nights (2 at Jambo Lodge) and the third back at Arusha Tourist Inn.
An extra night for twin sharing for two at the arusha tourist inn was 10 USD per pax.
The Meru slopes tours also threw in free transfer to the airport on the last day because of our safari package - which saved us USD50/taxi - surprise and generous gift indeed.
Mr Gabriel of Meru slopes also lent me a router because the inn room wifi was not reliable -he was most helpful and kind.
the Arusha tourist inn is rated two stars , but really value for money - it is set in a private enclave so there is no traffic or strangers walking around. Very quiet except for the sound of call for prayers from nearby mosque. Walking distance (5mins) to market where you can buy backpacks, albeit preloved ones. (good travel bags are expensive here!! and limited in choice)
Safari - starts with pickup from hotel by transport to the Tourist inn - 730am.. we set off when the number registered came..
2 nights at Jambo lodge - a proper hotel with very clean n comfortable beds n toilets with hot water (may not be so hot). No mosquitoes or bugs.
Excellent food provided by Rashid - who has had two years of culinary training - 5 star presentation and flavours . What a treat.. No boxed lunches - there was table cloth, hot drinks and nice plates n several dishes and fruits for all meals.. Generous servings too..
The meals in themselves were a safari experience of the best of Tanzanian cuisine .
Be warned, you will put on weight..
The tour guide who also is the driver, Samuel, has very sharp vision for the animals and birds. I believe he was the first to spot our first pride of 4 lions in Tangaeire, among the many.
This safari starts with breakfast at 8am at the lodge/inn and is quite leisurely.
Great for those who love sleeping in proper beds, and private bathrooms and do not fancy looking at shadows of wild animals through the thin fabric of tents in the night or worry about the walk to the shared toilets in the night with such (? gentle) animals sharing the space.
The best part of the safari - I think is the seemingly lack of fear of humans of these animals, and how beautiful the colours and how strange the shapes. Somehow they hide and stand out at the same time. A strange and wonderful paradox of life.
Well run tour, great guide--best way to see Lake Manyara
Doing a safari isn't what many people think. The animals aren't all hanging around, like in a zoo, beside the roadside, waiting for people to come and see them. That being said, choosing a good safari, IMHO, is about choosing a good area to go during that time of year for what you want to see, choosing guide who knows the area and understands where animals tend to congregate and someone who has good English and is fun to be in the same land cruiser with for 6 hours+.
Things in Tanzania are often not organized in the same way the as in other countries. I've been in Tanzania for about two weeks and had one tour not show up and another forget to get the park entry permit, which meant I almost missed a balloon ride.
Mohammed keeps everything going smoothly at this tour company. He kept in touch by WhatsApp, knew what had to be done and organized multiple guest itineraries for drop offs and pickups from a variety of places. The company is very professionally run and they will take care of you to pick you up from where you are coming, and where you need to end up. All of their drivers are very friendly, as are most Tanzanians, and also seemed to be on their best game. I took two tours with this company and both were very smooth and exceeded my expections.
The driver/guide Chad was fantastic guy. He told us stories of the Masai, answered a lot of questions, and was just fun to be around, with a very laid back demeanor. Our group was multi-national and multi lingual, Chad did a great job of interacting with everybody in English. He also knew the park well.
Lake Manyara is a unique place, with more of a jungle and wetlands field than the plain. Our trip began slow, I though it would end up being a baboon and monkey tour but ended well thanks to Chad, both knowing where to go and a good eye. We saw a leopard, with an antelope kill it was dressing and dragging into a tree, a pretty rare sight. Also several elephants and giraffes, along with numerous antelope, phumba, baboons and monkeys and water buffalo.
The land cruiser was comfortable, Chad stopped as often as we would like when someone thought they saw something. It was also a great group to travel with.
Overall a great tour company and a great guide. I would recommend them.
Frequently Asked QuestionsQ:What's the best way to experience Lake Manyara National Park?
A:
The best ways to experience Lake Manyara National Park are:
Q:What are Lake Manyara National Park hours of operation?
A:
Lake Manyara National Park hours of operation: . Buy tickets in advance on Viator. If you book with Viator, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.