Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LAKE MANYARA NATIONAL PARK
»
Why Go
Excellent birding; tree-climbing lions; dramatic Rift Valley Escarp-
ment scenery
»
When to Go
Year-round. June to October is best for large mammals, November
to June is best for birds.
»
Practicalities
Drive or fly in from Arusha; bring binoculars to optimise wildlife
watching over the lake
MTO WA MBU
Mto wa Mbu is the busy gateway to Lake Manyara, which is fed by the town's
eponymous 'River of Mosquitoes'. The busy
Cultural Tourism Program
(
0784-606654; mtoculturalprogramme@hotmail.com; 8am-6.30pm) offers
tours to surrounding villages, with an emphasis on farming, and hiking along
the escarpment. Prices start at US$28 per person (less if you have a group) for
daytrips and most can be done by mountain bike rather than walking. The office
is in the back of the Red Banana Café on the main road near where buses stop.
SLEEPING & EATING
In the Park
There are
public campsites
(camping per adult/child 5-15 yr US$30/5) with toilets and
cold-water showers by the park gate and another near the Endabash River about an hour's
drive into the park. There are nine
bandas
(camping per adult/child US$20/10) with hot
water and a cooking area near the park gate and three
special campsites
(per adult/child
US$50/10) elsewhere in the park.
Lake Manyara Tree Lodge
LODGE $$$
( 028-262 1267;
www.andbeyond.com
;
per person all-inclusive US$995; May-Mar;
) This lovely, luxurious place is one of the most exclusive lodges in all of Tan-
zania, and the only permanent camp inside the park. The 10 oversized stilted treehouses
with private decks and views from the bathtubs and outdoor showers are set in a mahogany
forest at the remote southern end of the park. The food is excellent and the rooms have but-
ler service.
