Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park, though small at 330 square kilometers, packs an incredible diversity of habitats and wildlife into its compact area. The park extends from the alkaline Lake Manyara up the dramatic 600-meter wall of the Great Rift Valley escarpment.

The park's most famous residents are its tree-climbing lions, a unique behavior thought to be developed to escape the heat and tsetse flies. While not guaranteed, sightings of lions lounging in acacia branches are a park highlight. The lake itself hosts huge flocks of flamingos that turn the waters pink during peak seasons.

The groundwater forest near the entrance is one of Tanzania's largest, home to troops of baboons and blue monkeys. Elephants are common, and the park is a birder's paradise with over 400 recorded species. A drive along the lakeshore offers spectacular views against the backdrop of the towering escarpment.