Tree climbing lions in Lake Manyara national park
Tree climbing lions in Lake Manyara National Park
Tree climbing lions in Lake Manyara national park: Tree climbing lions are among the unique attractions that can be seen by tourists on safari in Lake Manyara national park which is located in the northern part of Tanzania and in the south western direction from Arusha.
To be allowed entry into Lake Manyara national park to see the tree-climbing lions as well as other wildlife species in the national park, tourists are required to pay entrance fees which are 53 USD for foreign nonresidents and east Africans make payment for entrance fees in Tanzania shillings (TSH).
These tree climbing lions can also be seen in a few other locations in the world such as the Ishasha sector which is part of Queen Elizabeth national park located in the south western part of Uganda.
A known characteristic among the tree climbing lions in Lake Manyara national park is they are known to spend days in the branches of trees such as acacia trees, sausage trees as well as in desert date trees especially during the day time.
Many questions have been asked as to why the lions climb trees and some of the answers to this question is that the lions climb trees to avoid insect stings. It has also been said that the lions climb trees to take refuge elephants and buffalos which charge at them.
During hours of excess heat in the day time, the lions also climb trees in Lake Manyara national park. Tree climbing lions are also said to climb the trees in order to observe their prey which graze in the savannah plains.
Lake Manyara national park is an all year wildlife viewing destination which means that apart from tree climbing lions, other wildlife species can be seen in the national park and these include elephants, buffalos, hippos, giraffes, antelopes, gazelles, baboons, klipspringers, impalas among others.
There are different activities which take place in Lake Manyara national park where tree climbing lions can be seen and they include the following;
Game drives
Tourists visiting Lake Manyara national park engage in game drives which take place at different times of day and they include morning game drives, afternoon or evening game drives, night game drives and full day game drives.
Morning game drives involve driving in the savannah plains of Lake Manyara national park early in the morning to search for wildlife species which are very active during this time of day and can easily be seen grazing and moving in the national park.
Another game drive that tourists visiting Lake Manyara national park can engage in during their safaris is the afternoon or evening game drive which takes place during the day. Wildlife sightings in the afternoon are not very common since wildlife species seek shelter in hidden locations at this time of day making them hard to spot.
Tourists can also enjoy night game drives in Lake Manyara national park during which nocturnal wildlife species can be seen. This activity takes place in the company of a ranger guide who provides information about the different wildlife species. Photography also takes place during the night game drives.
Full day game drives also take place in Lake Manyara national park and they are a combination of the morning game drives and afternoon game drives since they involve driving around the national park the whole day in search of the various wildlife species such as elephants, tree climbing lions, buffalos, hippos, baboons, antelopes, giraffes, gazelles, impalas, baboons, hyenas among others as well as different bird species.
Wildlife viewing experiences are best done during the dry season in the months from June to October when the wildlife species can easily be seen.
Nature walks
Tourists also engage in nature walks during their wildlife viewing experiences in Lake Manyara national park. These nature walks involve exploring the wilderness of the national park on foot following different trails such as the treetop walkway and majimoto walkway.
The treetop walkway involves walking on a bridge into the forest where monkeys can be seen among the trees as well as various bird species can be seen during nature walks in Lake Manyara national park.
Birding
Birding is another activity which takes place in Lake Manyara national park around the forest and also around Lake Manyara. Different bird species can be seen along the shores of Lake Manyara and they include grey crowned cranes, flamingos, rufous tailed weavers, ashy starlings, black collared lovebirds, crowned plover, and black faced sand grouse among others.
This activity is best done during months of November to July.
Canoe rides
Tourists visiting Lake Manyara national park also engage in canoe rides which take place on Lake Manyara during which they enjoy the scenic views around the national park such as the rift valley escarpment.
Cultural visits
Tourists also engage in cultural visits during safaris to Lake Manyara national park. These visits involve interactions between tourists and the local community which consist of the Maasai people.
During these cultural visits tourists engage in activities such as traditional dance performances where Maasai warriors jump around following the rhythm of cultural songs being chanted. Traditional homesteads of the Maasai known as “manyattas” are also visited during cultural visits.
Another activity which takes place as tourists interact with the Maasai people and get to know more about their way of life is seeing local art and craft work such as beaded jewelry like necklaces, earrings, anklets as well crafts like sandals and belts.
Other attractions which can be seen in Lake Manyara national park apart from tree climbing lions include the following;
- Lake Manyara is a major attraction found at this destination and it is known to cover a big part of the national park and also being a good birding location where birds can be seen along its shores in big numbers.
- Wildlife species of a variety can also be seen in Lake Manyara national park and they include elephant herds, giraffes, antelopes, gazelles, zebras, baboons, hippos, buffalos, impalas among others.
After the wildlife viewing experiences in Lake Manyara national park as tourists look out for tree climbing lions and other wildlife species, there are many places to stay around the national park which include luxury accommodation, midrange accommodation and budget accommodation.
Visit Lake Manyara national park to experience its various attractions by planning your safari with focus east Africa tours for memorable safaris.
