Tarangire → Ngorongoro → Lake Manyara → Arusha town
3-Day Tarangire, Ngorongoro & Manyara Camping Safari
Elephants, the crater and Lake Manyara in three affordable days of camping.
3 days 2 nights
From $720 pp
National Park · Northern Circuit
Lake Manyara National Park
Groundwater forest, a soda lake and the Rift Valley wall.
About Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara is compact and quietly beautiful, set beneath the escarpment of the Great Rift Valley. You enter through a lush groundwater forest busy with baboons and blue monkeys, then emerge onto open floodplains beside a shallow soda lake.
It is known for its tree-climbing lions, large troops of baboons, hippo pools and, seasonally, flocks of flamingos and pelicans. It is an easy half-day stop between Arusha and Ngorongoro.
Highlights
- Tree-climbing lions
- Baboon troops and blue monkeys in the forest
- Hippo pool and flamingos
- Treetop walkway and canoeing (seasonal)
- Rift Valley escarpment views
What you might see
- Elephant
- Baboon
- Blue monkey
- Lion
- Giraffe
- Hippo
- Flamingo
- Pelican
- Buffalo
When to go
Best Good Quieter / wet
Dry season (June to October) for mammals; November to May for birdlife and green scenery.
Getting there
About 2 hours from Arusha by road, close to Mto wa Mbu village. Lake Manyara airstrip sits on the escarpment above.
How long
Half day – 1 night
Where to stay
- BudgetTwiga campsite, Mto wa Mbu
- Mid-rangeLake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge
- LuxuryEscarpment Luxury Lodge
Examples of properties we use. We choose the right camp for your month and budget.
6 trips visit Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara safaris & tours
Tarangire → Lake Manyara → Ngorongoro → Serengeti …
6-Day Northern Circuit Camping Safari
All four northern parks on a budget, with a full day in the Serengeti.
6 days 5 nights
From $1,580 pp
Arusha town → Tarangire → Lake Manyara → Ngorongoro …
7-Day Northern Circuit Safari
Our most popular trip: every northern park at an easy pace, with a rest night first.
7 days 6 nights
From $2,950 pp
Arusha town → Arusha NP → Tarangire → Lake Manyara …
10-Day Tanzania Explorer
Walking, canoeing, Hadzabe culture, the crater and three Serengeti nights.
10 days 9 nights
From $4,190 pp
Arusha town → Tarangire → Lake Manyara → Ngorongoro …
12-Day Grand Tanzania Safari & Beach
Everything, unhurried: four northern parks and four nights on Zanzibar.
12 days 11 nights
From $5,490 pp
Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara Day Trip
Forest primates, hippo and flamingos below the Rift Valley wall.
1 day
From $310 pp
Good to know
Lake Manyara: questions travellers ask
Is Lake Manyara a full-day park?
Most travellers spend a half day here. It works best combined with Tarangire or Ngorongoro on the same route.
Nearby
Also on the Northern Circuit
National ParkSerengetiEndless plains, big cats and the Great Migration.Explore
Conservation AreaNgorongoroA collapsed volcano holding one of Africa's richest wildlife floors.Explore
National ParkTarangireBaobabs, a life-giving river and some of Africa's largest elephant herds.Explore
National ParkArusha NPMount Meru, crater lakes and walking safaris an hour from town.Explore
Plan your Lake Manyara trip
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and a rough budget. A real person in Arusha will reply within 24 hours with a route and an honest price — no obligation.