Lake Manyara National Park background - Africa Natural Tours ( africanaturaltours.com )
Lake Manyara National Park
background: Africa Natural Tours
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Lake Manyara National Park Guide
Lake
Manyara National Park is one of Tanzania’s most dramatically located African
wildlife animals areas, consisting of a shallow soda lake (covering two-thirds
of the park) at the foot of the Great Rift Valley’s western escarpment. Lake
Manyara National Park’s varied shoreline contains a wide variety of habitats,
which include lush groundwater forests, a swampy fan delta, acacia woodlands
and a small grassy plain. This varied habitat attracts a wide variety of
wildlife animals, including one of Africa’s largest concentrations of
elephants, and the algae growing in the lake, attract large flocks of
flamingos. This African National Wildlife Park therefore supports a great
variety of animals. Lake Manyara’s main safari attraction is its rich bird
life, its tree-climbing lions and its hippos and other animals, which can be
observed here, at very close range. In his book “The Green Hills of Africa”
Hemingway describes his African animals trophy hunting expeditions into the
African Lake Manyara National Park area, which used to be prime wildlife
animals hunting country many years ago. The national park is very picturesque
but the dense groundwater forest areas can make spotting animals more difficult
– but undoubtedly an exciting safari adventure. It is therefore a good idea to
visit the game park at the start of your safari, before you become to jaded with
wildlife. A day trip is sufficient to see most of the parks sights and animals.
Please refer to the map below for further details, and safari information guide
on this awesome and picturesque wildlife game park in Tanzania.
The
agricultural and fresh produce market town of Mto Wa Mbu, is situated next to
the entrance of the Lake Manyara National Park. The enormous amount of
groundwater pouring through the rock of the escarpment in this area, has
created the ideal habitat for fresh produce and the local farmers grow
everything ranging from bananas to maize. The town is a souvenir hunters
paradise, harbouring thousands souvenir salesmen – ready to pounce at the
slightest invitation. Mto Wa Mbu, which literally means “mosquito creek”, is
very malarial, so make sure you put on lots of insect repellent.
The lake
Wherever
you drive in the Lake Manyara National Park – the lake is never far away. The
water is slightly alkaline, even though fresh water rivers, streams, and
escarpment springs mainly feed the lake. A diverse collection of water birds
like pelicans, storks, cormorants, geese and ducks all congregate in abundance
around the shores of Lake Manyara, and at certain times of the year the lake
hosts thousands of flamingos. Please refer to the map below for further
details, and safari information guide on this awesome and picturesque wildlife
reserve in Tanzania.
Sightseeing at Lake Manyara
After
entering the Lake Manyara National Park, the visitor is surrounded by the
“ground water forest”. This unique forest area resembles a tropical rain
forest, but the vegetation is mainly supported by an underground water supply
instead of an abundant rainfall as in the case of rain forests. This unique
forest provides an ideal wildlife habitat for the African blue monkey, bush and
waterbuck, the nocturnal aardvark as well as the vervets, the favorite prey of
the leopard. The forest, which produces an abundant number of wild fruits and
figs, is a great attraction for the majestic African elephant and the few
remaining black rhino in the park. The Hippo Pool located in the Simba River,
not only attracts these 3000kg animals, but many of the parks nearly 400
species of birds, including the predatory fish eagle, which lives in and around
the Hippo Pool.
Further
south, between the Msasa and Bagayo rivers, the ground water forest changes
into a flat-topped acacia woodland – the home of the notorious tree-climbing
lions of Lake Manyara. Grass feeders and browsers like impala, zebra, giraffe
and elephant are also common in this area. Further south, past the Bagayo
River, an area most notable for its majestic baobab trees, lays Maji Moto Ngogo
a fresh but hot water spring (40°C). Near the end of the park a second set of
hot water springs, Maji Moto bubbling around (60°C) can be seen – a good place
to boil your eggs for lunch!
Lake Manyara’s Tree Climbing Lions
Lake
Manyara’s most visible predators, and also its prime tourist attraction are
lions, famous for their habit of climbing trees. Why the lions of Lake Manyara
National Park and not those of nearby Serengeti and Ngorongoro spend so much
time in trees remains a mystery. The acacia (umbrella trees) woodlands south of
the Msasa River, do however provide an ideal spot for the Lions to retreat to,
in the heat of the day.
Lake Manyara lodges and camps
There are
several tented camps and luxury lodges available around Lake Manyara National
Park. Visit the Lake Manyara lodges and camps
page for more information.
For more information
visit www.africanaturaltours.com
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