Tours in Lake Manyara National Park

Three things above all. The tree-climbing lions rest along the branches of acacias through the heat of the day, behaviour recorded in only a handful of places in Africa. The flamingos gather in their thousands in the shallows of the alkaline lake. And the dense groundwater forest at the park entrance, fed by springs running off the Rift Valley escarpment, is unlike anything else on the northern circuit. It also holds one of the largest olive baboon populations anywhere in Africa, often hundreds strong.

Most visitors spend half a day to a full day here, and that is usually enough. The park is compact at roughly 648 square kilometres, much of which is the lake itself, so a single well-planned drive covers the main circuits comfortably. It is almost always visited as the first or last stop on a northern circuit itinerary rather than as a destination in its own right. Adding the treetop canopy walkway or a night drive extends a visit comfortably to a full day.

June to October is strongest for general game viewing, when the vegetation thins out and animals concentrate near water. November to June suits birders considerably better, including the flamingos, and the park is greener, quieter and cheaper. April and May bring the heaviest rain of the year, when some tracks become difficult and a number of lodges close for the season. Both halves of the year have their case, so let the flamingos or the big game decide which you prioritise.

Not reliably, no. Flamingo numbers rise and fall with the lake's water level and the algae they feed on, so the spectacle is strongest after the rains, roughly November to June. In a dry year the lake can shrink dramatically and the birds move on to other Rift Valley lakes such as Natron or Eyasi. Treat a large flock as a bonus rather than a guarantee. If flamingos are the main reason for your visit, travel in the green season and check recent conditions with your operator.

Yes, and it is one of the park's genuine distinctions. Lake Manyara is among the few national parks in Tanzania that permits game drives after dark, run with a licensed guide and an accompanying park ranger. They offer the best chance of seeing genet, civet, bushbaby, porcupine and the occasional leopard on the move, all of which are difficult or impossible to find during daylight hours. They must be booked through your operator in advance, as ranger availability is limited each evening.

The park lies about 126 kilometres west of Arusha, roughly a two-hour drive on sealed road as far as the park gate at the village of Mto wa Mbu. Light aircraft also serve the Lake Manyara airstrip on scheduled routes from Arusha, the Serengeti and Zanzibar, which suits travellers on shorter itineraries. That proximity to Arusha is why the park so often opens a northern circuit safari. That proximity to Arusha is why the park so often opens a northern circuit safari before the road climbs toward Ngorongoro.

Binoculars matter more here than in most Tanzanian parks, given the density of birdlife and the forest canopy overhead. Bring insect repellent, layers for cool mornings, sun protection and neutral colours that work in both forest and open plain. Keep food secured at all times and vehicle windows closed when parked, because the baboons around the picnic sites are bold and thoroughly practised at theft. A light waterproof is sensible outside the dry season, as showers arrive quickly off the escarpment.

It is a genuine novelty and the only walkway of its kind in Tanzania, carrying you on a suspended bridge through the groundwater forest canopy at bird height. The circuit takes roughly an hour with a guide and suits families and anyone who wants a break from the vehicle. It is not a wildlife spectacle in the way a game drive is, but the perspective on the forest itself is worth the time.