Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park lies about 126 kilometres south-west of Arusha, squeezed between the steep wall of the Great Rift Valley and a shallow alkaline lake. It is small next to the Serengeti, which makes it a good first day on safari: you see a lot without long drives.

The road in passes through a groundwater forest of mahogany, fig and sausage trees, fed by springs from the escarpment. Olive baboons and blue monkeys live here, and elephants move quietly through the shade. Further south the forest opens into acacia woodland and grassy flats where buffalo, giraffe, zebra, impala and wildebeest graze, and hippos wallow in the pools.

Manyara's lions are known for climbing into acacia trees, though sightings are a matter of luck. The lake itself changes with the seasons; when conditions are right its shore turns pink with flamingos, and more than 400 bird species have been recorded here, including pelicans, storks and fish eagles.