A Landscape Forged by the Great Rift

The park’s breathtaking backdrop is the first character in its story. Millions of years ago, the Earth’s crust tore apart, creating the Great Rift Valley. This colossal geological event thrust up the dramatic, rustygold cliffs that form the park’s western boundary and created a shallow basin that would eventually become Lake Manyara, a shallow, alkaline (soda) lake. This unique geographya compact strip of land between an impassable cliff and a vast, undrinkable lake created a selfcontained world where wildlife had to adapt in extraordinary ways.

The Name “Manyara”

The name itself has a story. It comes from the Maasai word “Emanyara,” which is the name of the Euphorbia tirucalli plant, a spiky, cactuslike succulent the Maasai use to grow protective fences around their livestock enclosures (bomas). This plant thrives in the area, and the lake and park were named for it.

A Tapestry of Habitats

Despite its small size, the park packs an incredible variety of habitats into a small area, each with its own cast of characters:

• The Groundwater Forest: A lush, evergreen jungle fed by permanent springs seeping from the base of the escarpment. This is where the story takes a surreal turn.
• The Acacia Woodlands: The famous stretch where the legendary treeclimbing lions are found.
• The Open Floodplain & Soda Lake: A stark, beautiful landscape that hosts vast congregations of flamingos and other waterbirds.

The Legends: TreeClimbing Lions and Woodland Giants

Lake Manyara’s most famous chapters are written by its unique wildlife:

• The TreeClimbing Lions: This is the park’s greatest claim to fame. Unlike elsewhere, the lions in Manyara have developed the peculiar habit of resting high in the branches of acacia and sausage trees. The reason is debated to escape the heat and biting flies on the ground, or to get a better vantage point. Seeing a pride of lions lounging nonchalantly in a tree is a sight unique to a few places, with Manyara being the most famous.
• The Elephant Herds: The park is renowned for its large, tranquil herds of elephants. The lush groundwater forest provides a perfect habitat, and seeing these gentle giants silhouetted against the forest or bathing in the lake is a classic Manyara image.
• The Lake of Birds: The alkaline waters of the lake itself are a magnet for flamingos, which can often be seen in their thousands, creating a shimmering pink haze along the shoreline. It’s also a critical habitat for over 400 other bird species, including pelicans, storks, and cormorants.

From Hunting Ground to National Park

The area’s modern history mirrors that of other Tanzanian parks. It was initially a popular hunting ground for big game hunters during the colonial era. Recognizing the need to protect its unique and concentrated wildlife, the area was designated as a Game Reserve in 1957 and then gazetted as a National Park in 1960, one of the first in Tanzania. Its compact size and proximity to Arusha made it an accessible and popular “first stop” on the Northern Safari Circuit. The park covered area 646km²