Flamingos in Lake Manyara National Park

Flamingos in Lake Manyara National Park: Lake Manyara national park is located in the northern part of Tanzania and is home to over 400 bird species which include the pink flamingos.

Apart from the many birds which can be seen during a safari around Lake Manyara national park, there are also a variety of wildlife species that can be seen in the national park such as the tree climbing lions and large herds of elephants.

The flamingos in the national park can be seen along the shores of Lake Manyara. The national park is located in the Great Rift Valley and has beautiful and diverse scenery which is made up of acacia woodland, savannah, forest as well as swamps.

Flamingos can also be seen around Tanzania in destinations such as Arusha national park where the Momella lakes are found, around Lake Natron as well as Lake Magadi which is found in the Ngorongoro crater.

Lake Manyara national park is one of the best bird watching destinations of Tanzania and different water birds can be spotted along the shores of the soda lake in the national park such as the pink hued lesser and greater flamingos.

There are also other aquatic birds which can be seen around Lake Manyara national park and these include pelicans, Egyptian geese, ducks, waders, storks, kingfishers, long crested eagles, ibises, spoonbills, cormorants, shrikes, herons, hornbills among others.

Lake Manyara where flamingos can be seen during a safari is the 7th largest lake in Tanzania and this lake is alkaline in nature and is also shallow covering about 230 square kilometers and a big part of the national park.

The flamingos in Lake Manyara national park can be spotted during the migration season in the wet season also referred to as the green season when the water levels are high which attracts various water birds.

During the wet season apart from enjoying seeing the migratory bird species like the flamingos, tourists on safari around Lake Manyara national park can also engage in canoeing along the alkaline lake.

Lake Manyara is seasonal and therefore the water levels vary during the different seasons and in the wet season the water levels of the lake are high which attracts various birds like flamingos and in the dry season water levels are low.

The flamingos feed on the algae in Lake Manyara which attracts big flocks of the flamingos making them easy to spot along the lake shores. At certain times of the year such as in august and September, the flamingos move to Lake Natron.

Among the reasons for the movement of the flamingos from Lake Manyara to Lake Natron is searching for food and water and the cycle of this movement varies depending on the alternation of the dry season and wet season.

After the movement of the flamingos from Lake Manyara to Lake Natron, these birds also reproduce from Lake Natron before returning to Lake Manyara national park. During the months of April and May, various bird species can be seen in the national park and at this time also, the migratory bird species return to Europe.

Other activities which are carried out during safaris around Lake Manyara national park include the following;

Game drives

Game drives around Lake Manyara national park take place around different times of day such as in the morning, in the afternoon or evening as well as in the night. Various wildlife species which can be seen during wildlife viewing experiences around the destination include elephants, waterbucks, hippos, buffalos, giraffes, antelopes, as well as baboons.

Elephants and tree climbing lions are among the wildlife species which are popular in Lake Manyara national park.

Guided nature walks

Another activity which is carried out during safaris around Lake Manyara national park is the guided nature walks which involves moving around the national park on foot in the company of an armed ranger guide.

This activity also takes place along the treetop walkway in Lake Manyara national park and during the activity, tourists move along a bridge which is suspended about 18 meters off the ground as they enjoy moving through the forest and the beautiful views around the national park. Different bird species as well as some wildlife species like waterbucks, klipspringers, baboons and black and white monkeys can also be seen in the forest.

Community visits

Tourists also engage in community visits in Mto wa mbu town during safaris to Lake Manyara national park. During these community visits, tourists enjoy interacting with the locals such as the Maasai people and getting to know about the Maasai culture and ways of life, seeing local art and crafts such as beaded necklaces and earrings among others.

Visit lake Manyara and enjoy seeing flamingos and exploring the grassy plains as you drive in search of various wildlife species.