Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park is a compact jewel of the Northern Circuit — a lush, varied wilderness where groundwater forests give way to open grasslands, acacia woodlands, and the shimmering alkaline waters of Lake Manyara that can stretch across two-thirds of the park during the wet season. Spanning just 330 square kilometres, this park punches far above its weight in biodiversity and scenic beauty. Ernest Hemingway once described it as "the loveliest lake in Africa," and when thousands of lesser and greater flamingos turn the shoreline into a sea of pink against the towering backdrop of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, you will understand exactly what he meant.

Lake Manyara is perhaps most famous for its tree-climbing lions — a rare behavioural phenomenon where prides drape themselves across the branches of mahogany and fig trees, sometimes several metres off the ground. Scientists debate why they do this (possibly to escape tsetse flies or catch cooling breezes), but watching a lion sprawled lazily on a branch is one of safari's most unique sightings. Beyond the lions, the park shelters large troops of olive baboons at the entrance gate, hippo pools, elephant herds moving through the groundwater forest, and an astonishing 400+ bird species concentrated in this small area. The alkaline lake itself attracts enormous flocks of flamingos, pelicans, and storks. With the dramatic Rift Valley wall rising 600 metres behind you, every game drive feels like driving through a landscape painting. A C.A.T.S Safari to Lake Manyara is the perfect introduction to Tanzania's extraordinary wildlife.