Lake Manyara is a lovely scenic park on the road from Arusha to the Ngorongoro Crater, famous for its tree climbing lions, great birdlife, good elephants and baboons. The park spans a vast area encompassing two-thirds of a shallow alkaline lake called Lake Manyara. This serene lake is renowned for its breathtaking flocks of greater and lesser pink flamingos. During the wet season, from November to April, the lake’s flamingo population swells, painting the entire environment a stunning shade of pink. 

Wildlife concentration here is not nearly as high as in surrounding parks, but there are a number of unique species that give reason enough to safari in Lake Manyara. The park's main attraction are the famous tree climbing lions - why these lions habitually climb trees is still up for debate, but viewing a pride relaxing in an acacia tree is a remarkable sight! The park is also renowned for its large elephant population and its varied landscape of grassy savannahs, acacia woodlands, and dense forests supports an impressive range of other game including wildebeest, buffalo, hippo, flamingo, zebra, warthog, waterbuck, giraffe, dik-dik and impala. The birding here is also very good, especially raptors. The park also boasts numerous water birds, such as pelican, stork, and heron. The marshes surrounding the lake are a haven for hippo, who can be seen wallowing in the mud.