Lake Manyara National Park

Wildlife & Animals

Expert

By Philip Briggs

Philip is the author of the Bradt guidebook to Tanzania.

The park is known for its legendary tree-climbing lions and impressively tusked elephants. Large buffalo, wildebeest and zebra herds congregate on the grassy plains. The lake is a seasonal home to large flocks of flamingos, and a wide array of waterbirds can be found on the shore at all times.

ElephantAbundant

GiraffeCommon

HippoCommon

BuffaloCommon

ZebraCommon

WildebeestCommon

White RhinoNone

Black RhinoNone

LionOccasional

LeopardRare

CheetahVery Rare

HyenaOccasional

Wild DogVery Rare

Wildlife Highlights

The forest patch at the entrance of the park is home to habituated troops of olive baboon and blue monkey. The occasional bushbuck can also be spotted here, darting off in the undergrowth. Pairs of klipspringer are sometimes seen balancing on the rocks at the far south of the park and the hippo pool is a good place to see these semi-aquatic creatures up close.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Although Lake Manyara NP offers reasonable wildlife viewing throughout the year, the Dry season, from June to October, is the best time. Wildlife is easier to spot because vegetation is thinner and animals gather around predictable water sources. The Wet season, from November to May, offers the most beautiful scenery, but roads can sometimes become slippery and difficult to negotiate.