Lake Manyara Day Safari

Lake Manyara is small but astonishingly varied — groundwater forest at the gate, open floodplain, and the Rift Valley wall rising behind it all.

This is the park famous for tree-climbing lions, draped along the branches of acacias in the heat of the day. Elephant herds move through the forest, baboon troops are among the largest in Africa, and in the wet months thousands of flamingos work the shallows.

We leave Arusha early, spend the full day on a game drive with a picnic lunch in the park, and have you back in town by evening. It is the easiest way to see real wildlife if you only have one day.