The Lake Manyara National is about 130 Km from Arusha. It is accessible by following the road in the southwest direction to the famous twin World Heritage Sites – Ngorongoro and Serengeti. This park was established in 1960 and has a total area of 330sq km of which 220sq km is the lake; the area would increase to 600sq km. The Park can be located at latitudes 3° 20’ and 3° 40’ S and longitude 35° 45’ E.
Lake Manyara National Park is within the Great Rift Valley which stretches from Turkey to the Zambezi, and follows the Red Sea, along the line of Ethiopian Highlands through Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania and Malawi. Following the Rift Valley to Kenya, the fault divides into eastern and western arms. Manyara is within the eastern arm whose escarpment rises to approximately 1,200 to 1,300 meters above sea level.
The name Manyara is derived from the Maasai word – emanyara – a plant used for making living stockades around their kraals. It is a popular plant among the Maasai community as a hedge for protecting their livestock against predators and cattle rustlers. The plant is scientifically called Euphorbia tirucalli. On the other hand, other Maasa elders argue that it comes from the word “Ol Manyara” which means “Settlement”.
This park has outstanding examples of natural, scenic, geological, ecological, flora and fauna in their spectacular setting. It is within this park where lions can be seen resting in trees during the day “Tree Climbing lions”. Manyara is also famous for its concentration of elephant, it is said the park has the highest density of elephant in Africa. There are six elephants per square kilometer. In addition to that the park has a fantastic profusion of birdlife. Over 380 species have been recorded in the park to date, some of these only occurring seasonally. Many waterfowls and flamingos can be seen in the lake.
At lastly, apart from the area possessing wilderness characteristic, a series of hot water sulphur springs form another tourist’s major attraction. The springs are located in the southern end of the park, and temperatures can go as high as 7°C.
