How to get to lake manyara national park
How to get to Lake Manyara National Park: Lake Manyara National Park is a premier safari destination in Tanzania, encompassing 330 square kilometers of the Northern Rift Valley floor, located southwest of Arusha.
Lake Manyara National Park was founded in 1960 and is renowned for its diverse features, including Lake Manyara, a rich array of fauna, stunning foliage, and avian species. Lake Manyara National Park is the primary attraction in the park and throughout the East African Rift; Ernest Hemingway deemed it the most opulent location in the world. The lake is situated in a remarkable location that he previously praised alongside the documentary filmmaker, Collin Willock.
Lake Manyara National Park is situated within the renowned Northern Safari Circuit of Tanzania, roughly 126 kilometers from Arusha City, the tourism capital of the country, requiring an estimated 90-minute drive. Most safaris commence from Arusha City. Additional Tanzanian safari sites (national parks) included in the northern safari circuit comprise Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, and Tarangire National Park.
Directions to Lake Manyara National Park
Access to the park is available via the southern or northern gates, with the northern gate being the most frequented by tourists to Lake Manyara National Park due to the proximity of the majority of housing facilities. Two primary modes of transportation utilized for a Tanzania safari are air and road transport.
Getting to lake Manyara Via Air Transport
Air transport is the most effective way to reach Lake Manyara National Park, specifically by flying into Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA), situated roughly 46 kilometers from Arusha. One can also fly from Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) to Arusha Airport (ARK). On the other hand, travelers may fly internationally to Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam and subsequently board a connecting flight from either Arusha Airport (ARK) or Julius Nyerere International Airport (JRO).
How to get to lake manyara national park, Chartered flights to Lake Manyara National Park are available from Arusha Airport and Julius Nyerere International Airport, as well as from Serengeti National Park. You may access the park’s entrance via a road that is roughly 16 kilometers distant, requiring an estimated 30-minute journey. Domestic and chartered flights can be organized with carriers including Air Excel, Coastal Aviation, Regional Air, Auric Air, and Flightlink. Focus East Africa Tours facilitates the booking of chartered aircraft between parks, which is incorporated within your safari package.
Accessing Arusha National Park Via Road
It is situated southwest of Arusha Town, approximately 126 kilometers (78 miles) from Arusha. Visitors may conveniently access the park via Bahati, the capital of the Manyara district, with road transport being the predominant mode of transportation for passengers to Lake Manyara National Park along the northern safari circuit.
By car, one can embark on a road safari along the newly paved route from Arusha, which takes approximately one and a half hours to reach the entrance gate, as it is en route to the Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park, and Serengeti National Park, all located within Tanzania’s northern safari circuit.
If you lack private transportation, public options such as a bus to Mto Wa Mbu hamlet are available, followed by car rental to access the park. The distance from Tarangire National Park is roughly 37.4 kilometers.
When is the best time to visit Lake Manyara National Park?
Lake Manyara National Park is a year-round destination, accessible at any time; nevertheless, the optimal period for observing large mammals occurs during the dry season, from July to October and in January to February. The wet season occurs from November to December and from March to June. This season features rains that render most roads within the park treacherous and difficult to use; yet, it is the optimal time for birdwatching at Lake Manyara.