Game drives in Lake Manyara national park

Game drives in Lake Manyara National Park

Game drives in Lake Manyara national park are among the different ways of wildlife viewing which take place at this destination that is located in one of the popular parts of Tanzania which is the northern tourist circuit that also consists of Serengeti national park, Ngorongoro conservation area and Tarangire national park.

Located south west of Arusha and in northern Tanzania, Lake Manyara national park has amazing views such as the rocky rift valley escarpment, acacia and baobab trees as well as open savannah plains which act as habitat for the wildlife species that can be seen during game drives.

Although Lake Manyara is smaller in size compared to the other famous wildlife destinations in northern Tanzania, a game drive in this national park is equally satisfying as different wildlife species can be sighted grazing in the savannah plains.

Lake Manyara national park consists of a lake that covers a big portion of the park. It also has beautiful scenery that tourists can enjoy viewing during their game drives. Different wildlife and bird species are also known to be seen around the lake.

The game drives in Lake Manyara national park take place at different times of day and they include morning game drives and afternoon or evening game drives. During morning game drives, wildlife species are very active and easy to see since they are active in the morning making these game drives very interesting and memorable.

Afternoon game drives are good for exploring different parts of Lake Manyara national park and for enjoying the scenery around the park as well as taking amazing pictures of the attractions as well as driving following different routes around the park giving you a feeling of a true African safari.

And in the evening, game drives offer an opportunity to watch the amazing sunset over the savannah plains and predators such as lions and leopards can also be seen during the evening as they start their hunt for prey.

Tourists can also opt for a full day of game drives which involves starting with a morning game drive and spending the rest of the day in the wilderness of Lake Manyara national park searching for the wildlife species.

Wildlife species which can be seen during game drives in Lake Manyara national park include elephants, buffalos, klipspringers, zebras, warthogs, hippos, antelopes among others. Depending on the time when tourists engage in the game drives to see the wildlife species, they can be able to see the wildlife roaming around.

To engage in game drives in Lake Manyara national park, certain fees need to be paid to the park officials in order to be allowed to enter the national park. The entrance fees are paid according to foreign nonresidents, residents and east Africans and payment is made in dollars (USD) and is 53 USD for foreigners and in Tanzania shillings (TSH) for Tanzanians.  

However before heading out into the wilderness of Lake Manyara national park, there are certain precautions to be taken during game drives and these include the following;

• Listening and paying attention to what your guide says during your briefing before the game drive is one of the important rules to follow since the rules are explained and failure to follow these rules leads to some fines and punishments. 
• Keeping distance from wildlife during the game drives and this is rule is put in place to avoid scaring away the animals during a sighting of the wildlife as tourists explore Lake Manyara national park and to avoid disturbing the natural setting of the wildlife.
• Do not feed wildlife species is another rule put in place in Lake Manyara national park to avoid tampering with the feeding habits of the wildlife species which can be seen during game drives as tourists explore the national park.  
• Tourists are also encouraged to avoid making noise in Lake Manyara national park during game drives to avoid scaring away the wildlife species and this makes it easier to observe the behavior of the wildlife.
• Avoid littering in the national park is another rule put in place as tourists engage in game drives in Lake Manyara national park in search of the various wildlife and bird species such as elephants, buffalos, giraffes, gazelles, waterbucks, hyenas, warthogs among others.
• Another rule to follow during a game drive in Lake Manyara national park is staying in the car at all times unless advised by your guide and this helps to avoid any accidents that may take place in case of an  attack by the wildlife species.

How to access Lake Manyara national park;

Lake Manyara national park can be accessed by both road and air means. By air, tourists and visitors to this national park can use Manyara airstrip and by road, there is an option of driving from Arusha to the national park.

Best time of the year to engage in a morning, afternoon or evening game drive in Lake Manyara national park is during the dry season from June to October. At this time of the year, wildlife species can easily be seen especially around water points in the national park as they gather to drink due to the hot conditions in the park.  

Other activities that tourists engage in during their visits to this destination apart from game drives in Lake Manyara national park include the following;

Nature walks involve exploring Lake Manyara national park on foot in the company of a guide as tourists follow different trails and routes and get a closer interaction with their surroundings in the national park and enjoy the beauty of nature around them.

Bird watching is another activity to engage in during a visit to Lake Manyara national park and different bird species can be seen in this national park especially around the shores of Lake Manyara and they include herons, flamingos, pelicans, storks, weavers, hornbills among others.

On the way to Lake Manyara national park, tourists can also make a stop in Mto wa mbu town for a cultural experience with the Maasai people who are known for their nomadic way of life and unique culture. During these cultural visits, a number of activities take place such as visits to the traditional homesteads of the Maasai known as “manyattas”, watching traditional dance performances and joining in on the fun of the warrior dance of the Maasai, listening to folk stories as well as seeing traditional beads and other jewelry made in different patterns and colors with great significance in the Maasai culture.

Plan a trip with us for an amazing game drive experience in Lake Manyara national park as you explore the savannah plains and enjoy the amazing views of the rift valley escarpment.