Birding in Lake Manyara National Park

Birding in Lake Manyara national park: Birding is among the activities which tourists engage in during their safaris in Lake Manyara national park which is located in the northern part of Tanzania and in the south western direction from Arusha.

This activity of birding can be defined as an act of observing birds in their natural habitat as a hobby or as a recreation. This activity can also be described as a sport which takes place around different birding locations.

Flamingo watching is among the highlights during bird watching experiences in Lake Manyara national park. These birds can be seen along the shores of the lake which covers a big part of the national park that is about two thirds of the area.

These birds feed along the shores of Lake Manyara and can be seen big numbers along with other bird species such as crowned plovers, grey crowned cranes, fisher’s sparrow lark, two banded courser, and black faced sand grouse among others.

The floodplain in Lake Manyara national park is another location for bird watching at the destination. Bird species which can be seen around the flood plains include long tailed fiscal, the pangani long claw, silvery cheeked hornbill, Narina trogon, crowned hornbill, Schawlow’s turaco, emerald cuckoo, crowned eagles, ground dwelling crested guinea fowl among others.

Other bird species which can be seen in Lake Manyara national park include migrant and native birds. The migrant bird species can be seen during the month of November to April when bird species from Europe and North Africa can be spotted.

The months of November to April are also the time of the year when resident bird species breed and are nesting. A variety of water birds are also known to be seen in Lake Manyara national park which offers good bird watching opportunities.

Lake Manyara national park is also known for its diverse habitat where different bird species can be seen along with a variety of wildlife species such as elephants, buffalos, waterbucks, antelopes, zebras, klipspringers, baboons, tree climbing lions, warthogs, monkeys among others.

The savannah plains of Lake Manyara national park make up the beautiful scenery at the destination. This national park is also made up of acacia woodlands, forests as well as floodplains which are home to numerous bird species.

Entrance fees are paid by tourists in order to access Lake Manyara national park and they are 53 USD for nonresidents while East Africans make payments in Tanzania shillings (TSH). These entrance fees are valid for 24 hours.

Best time for birding

Birding in the different wildlife viewing destinations in Tanzania has been described by some as “birding among the beasts”. The best time for birding in Lake Manyara national park is the wet season around March and April.

Tourists also engage in other activities apart from birding during their safaris to Lake Manyara national park and they include the following;

Game drives

Tourists visiting Lake Manyara national park also engage in game drives which take place at different times of day and they include morning game drives, afternoon game drives, full day game drives and night game drives.

Wildlife species of a variety can be seen during morning game drives since they are very active at this time of day and they include herds of elephants, tree climbing lions, antelopes, gazelles, klipspringers, buffalos, waterbucks, impalas, warthogs, hyenas among others.

During afternoon or evening game drives, the wildlife species in the national park are a little difficult to spot since they seek shelter from the afternoon sun heat and are hidden at this time of day.

Another game drive which tourists can engage in during their visits to Lake Manyara national park is the night game drive which takes place in the wilderness of the national park in the company of a ranger guide. This activity involves driving around the savannah plains in search of nocturnal wildlife species.

For full day game drives in Lake Manyara national park, tourists begin their wildlife viewing adventure in the morning and continue to drive around exploring the different attractions in the national park. This game drive is highly recommended since it offers an opportunity to see the different wildlife species as they graze around the national park.

Nature walks

Another form of wildlife viewing activity which takes place in Lake Manyara national park is the nature walks. This activity involves exploring the national park on foot and getting a close experience with the surroundings in the national park.

These nature walks follow different trails and they include the treetop walkway and also the Majimoto trail. The treetop walkway involves moving along a suspended bridge though the forest where different bird species as well as other wildlife can be seen.

Ranger guides accompany the tourists as they follow tracks and explore the national park on foot.

Canoe rides

Canoe rides also take place along Lake Manyara which is one of the attractions in the national park. Tourists enjoy their canoe rides in the company of their guides as they enjoy the beautiful scenery around the national park such as the rift valley escarpment.

Community visits

Community visits for tourists on their way to Lake Manyara national park are carried out in Mto wa mbu town. During this activity tourists engage in interaction with the locals and they get to know about their nomadic way of life.

Some of the activities which tourists engage in during their community visits in Mto wa mbu town include participating in traditional dance performances with the Maasai warriors as traditional songs are chanted.

Tourists also visit the “manyattas” which are traditional homesteads of the Maasai, visiting the kraals where livestock such as cattle, sheep and goats are kept by the Maasai is another activity which is carried out during community visits in Mto wa mbu town.

A tour around the local market as well as to the local art and craft shops is also carried out during community visits in Mto wa mbu town. The Maasai are famous for their beaded jewelry such as beaded necklaces, earrings, bangles as well as crafts like sandals and belts. The dress code of the Maasai is another unique aspect which they have as seen in the “shukas” which the Maasai men are known to wear.

How to get to Lake Manyara national park

To engage in birding and other activities in Lake Manyara national park, tourists can access the national park by different means which include the following;

By road, tourists can drive from Arusha where the safaris to this destination begin.
By air or flight, different airline companies organize chartered as well as scheduled flights to the airstrips in Lake Manyara national park on a daily.

Visit lake Manyara national park and enjoy seeing the different wildlife and bird species as you explore the savannah plains and the diverse natural surroundings at the destination.