Best time to go to Lake Manyara National Park
Best time to go to Lake Manyara National Park
Best time to go to Lake Manyara national park refers to a specific period in time during the year which is a favorable time for a safari experience in the national park. Lake Manyara national park is a destination which is located in the northern part of Tanzania.
A variety of tourists from around the world visit lake Manyara national park and the need to visit the national park brings up the question of the best time to visit this national park and is often asked during the planning phase of the safari.
Lake Manyara national park being a wildlife viewing destination known for having a variety of wildlife species as well as bird species which include elephants, lions, buffalos, zebras, antelopes, elands, gazelles, hyenas, warthogs, giraffes among others.
The best time to visit Lake Manyara national park is during the dry season from June to October when wildlife species can easily be spotted grazing in the national park. During this time, the road conditions in the national park are also favorable making it easy to drive around the national park without facing hindrances such as muddy roads which are common during the wet or rainy season.
Activities to engage in during a visit to Lake Manyara national park after deciding the best time to visit the national park include the following;
- Game drives are a popular tourist activity that takes place in Lake Manyara national park and they take place at different times of day. Morning game drives take place early in the morning and during this game drive, wildlife species are easy to spot since they are very active. Afternoon and evening game drives are other game drives which take place during the course of the day and at this time of day the wildlife are hidden as they take shelter form the heat of the sun and this game drive involves driving around the national park in search of wildlife species following different routes while enjoying the scenery around.
- Nature walks are a unique form of wildlife viewing that takes place in Lake Manyara national park which involves exploring the national park on foot. These nature walks take place in the company of a ranger guide who takes you around the wilderness of the national park as you enjoy the nature and get a close interaction with the surroundings in the national park.
- Community visits take place in Mto wa Mbu town which is a Maasai town located on the way to lake Manyara national park and is a good stopover point for a Maasai experience. As you interact with the Masai people, you can engage in a number of activities such as traditional dance performances, visiting the kraals of the Maasai where livestock such as cattle, sheep and goats are kept. You will also visit the “manyattas” which are traditional homesteads. The Maasai also have beaded jewelry that includes bracelets, anklets, necklaces made in different colors and patterns with significance in their culture.
Attractions in Lake Manyara national park which can be seen after deciding the best time to visit the national park include the following;
- Lake Manyara which is a major attraction in this national park and it is described as an alkaline lake that covers about two thirds of the national park and makes a good birding spot since a variety of bird species can be seen along its shores and these include pelicans, herons, storks, hornbills, weavers among others.
- Wildlife and bird species can also be seen in Lake Manyara national park during a safari experience and the wildlife species can be seen grazing in the savannah plains of the national park and they include giraffes, buffalos, zebras, antelopes, elephants, hyenas, elands, gazelles among others.
There are a variety of factors to consider when asking yourself about the best time to visit Lake Manyara national park such as the following;
- The activities you will engage in during your visit is among the factors that determine the best time to visit lake Manyara national park in such a way that some activities are best done during a particular season for example game drives are best done during the dry season when the wildlife species such as elephants, buffalos, zebras, hyenas, antelopes, gazelles, elands among others can easily be spotted. These activities include game drives, nature walks as well as community visits.
- Budget for the safari in Lake Manyara national park is another aspect to consider when deciding the best time to visit the national park. This is because the costs incurred during a safari vary according to certain seasons that include the low season, high season and the peak season. During the low season, the prices are generally subsidized making it affordable to visit the national park at this time of the year. The high season and the peak season however are associated with high prices and a large number of tourists at the destination.
- How to get to Lake Manyara national park is another important factor to consider when deciding the best time to visit the national park. This is because different means of transport can be used to access the national park and they include road means and also flight. The choice of the means of transport to use to access the national park also depends on the person visiting the national park. This question of how to get there is often asked after deciding the best time to visit the national park that is in the decision phase of the safari.
- Where to stay is an important factor to consider when the question of the best time to visit the national park is asked especially at a time when the person interested in visiting Lake Manyara national park has chosen when they will visit the national park and these accommodations are classified into luxury accommodations, midrange accommodations and budget accommodations.
- Duration of stay refers to how long a person is planning on staying at the destination in this case Lake Manyara national park. After deciding the best time of the year to visit the national park, a person also ask themselves how long they will stay in the national park and this is indicated in the itinerary for the safari which may also include other destinations to visit.
- Season of the year is an important aspect to consider when deciding the best time to visit a national park. These seasons include the peak season which is characterized by large numbers of tourists at the destination and is usually around June to October. The low season is another time of the year when tourists can visit Lake Manyara national park and is characterized by cheaper prices and fewer tourists compared to the high season and peak season.
After deciding the best time to visit Lake Manyara national park, a person can then go ahead to book the safari with a tour operator like focus east Africa tours which organizes trips to this national park as well as other destinations in the northern part of Tanzania such as Serengeti national park, Tarangire national park and Ngorongoro conservation area all of which are popular tourist destinations for amazing wildlife viewing experiences.