Lake Manyara National Park
🇹🇿 Tanzania
🦁 Lion Nests Among Acacia CanopiesLake Manyara National Park is a protected wetland and groundwater forest situated in Tanzania, tucked beneath the steep red cliffs of the Great Rift Valley escarpment. This compact reserve differs from nearby acacia savannas through its permanent alkaline lake, dense woodlands, and open grassy floodplains fed by underground springs.
-3.563° S 35.756° E
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
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Lion
Panthera leo
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Greater Flamingo
Phoenicopterus roseus
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African Fish-Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
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African Bush Elephant
Loxodonta africana
📊 Most Spotted
Olive Baboon
Papio anubis
Vervet Monkey
Chlorocebus pygerythrus
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
Bycanistes brevis
Impala
Aepyceros melampus
Speckled Mousebird
Colius striatus
Crowned Hornbill
Lophoceros alboterminatus
Northern Bushbuck
Tragelaphus scriptus
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
Turtur chalcospilos
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
Northern White-crowned Shrike
Eurocephalus ruppelli
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Olive Baboon
Papio anubis
Vervet Monkey
Chlorocebus pygerythrus
Impala
Aepyceros melampus
Northern Bushbuck
Tragelaphus scriptus
Waterbuck
Kobus ellipsiprymnus
Blue Monkey
Cercopithecus mitis
African Buffalo
Syncerus caffer
Plains Zebra
Equus quagga
Klipspringer
Oreotragus oreotragus
East African Giraffe
Giraffa tippelskirchi
Common Dwarf Mongoose
Helogale parvula
Blue Wildebeest
Connochaetes taurinus
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
Bycanistes brevis
Speckled Mousebird
Colius striatus
Crowned Hornbill
Lophoceros alboterminatus
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
Turtur chalcospilos
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
Northern White-crowned Shrike
Eurocephalus ruppelli
Little Egret
Egretta garzetta
Little Bee-eater
Merops pusillus
African Pied Wagtail
Motacilla aguimp
Hamerkop
Scopus umbretta
Egyptian Goose
Alopochen aegyptiaca
📊 Most Spotted
Nile Monitor
Varanus niloticus
African Striped Skink
Trachylepis striata
Variable Skink
Trachylepis varia
Dodoma Rock Agama
Agama dodomae
Sudan Mabuya
Trachylepis brevicollis
Jackson's Forest Lizard
Adolfus jacksoni
Painted Dwarf Gecko
Lygodactylus picturatus
Southern African Python
Python natalensis
African Rock Python
Python sebae
Wahlberg's Snake-eyed Skink
Panaspis wahlbergii
Kenyan Rock Agama
Agama lionotus
Puff Adder
Bitis arietans
Recent sightings in Lake Manyara National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Tree-Climbing Lion Nests
Lions in Lake Manyara are known to climb trees, primarily baobabs and acacias, to escape heat, avoid flies, or survey prey. This behavior is most frequent during dry seasons when shade is scarce.
2Flamingo Breeding Spectacle
Greater Flamingos gather in thousands to breed on mudflats, creating a striking pink landscape. Breeding coincides with receding water levels and abundant algae.
3Great Migration of Waterbirds
Lake Manyara acts as a critical stopover for migratory waterbirds, including herons, storks, and egrets, during their seasonal movements. Peak numbers align with local breeding cycles.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Tree-Climbing Lion Nests
- 2Flamingo Breeding Spectacle
- 3Great Migration of Waterbirds
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
We also saw a bushbuck and a Nile monitor lizard for the first time.
The giraffes were more timid than the elephants had been earlier, so my photos feel a bit like "spot the giraffe", but it was still so exciting to see them After the giraffes we came across some smaller antelope-like creatures hiding in the undergrowth... ...and then... more elephants!
Though we didn’t see lions on this portion of safari, we did get an amazing experience with some of the elephants, who walked right up to, and around, our Safari vehicles.
Later on, we saw some giraffes, zebras and elephants, but compared to the scale of Serengeti or Ngorongoro, it was not that breathtaking.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Lake Manyara National Park?
The most likely sightings are Olive Baboon (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Vervet Monkey (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Common Bulbul (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Silvery-cheeked Hornbill (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers), African Bush Elephant (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers) — among 1209 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Lake Manyara National Park for wildlife?
May has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Lion in Lake Manyara National Park?
Yes — about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Lion sighting in Lake Manyara National Park, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Greater Flamingo in Lake Manyara National Park?
It's possible but not guaranteed: about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Greater Flamingo sighting in Lake Manyara National Park, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. Sightings take luck and time in the field.
Can you see African Fish-Eagle in Lake Manyara National Park?
Yes — about 30% of wildlife watchers report a African Fish-Eagle sighting in Lake Manyara National Park, based on 139 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see African Bush Elephant in Lake Manyara National Park?
Yes — about 60% of wildlife watchers report a African Bush Elephant sighting in Lake Manyara National Park, based on 58 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
Very goodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
ExcellentHow likely to see animals?
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
