Lake Manyara National Park(tree lion)

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stretching for 50km along the base of the rust gold 600 metre high Rift Valley escarpment, Lake Manyara is a scenic gem, with a setting extolled by Ernest Hemingway as "the loveliest I had seen in Africa" The compact game viewing circuit through Manyara ,Nestling at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment offers a virtual microcosm of the Tanzanian safari experience. From the entrance gate, the road winds through an expanse of lush junglelike groundwater forest where hundred strong baboon troops lounge nonchalantly along the roadside
, blue monkeys
scamper nimbly between the ancient mahogany trees , dainty bushbuck tread warily through the shadows , and outsized forest hornbills honk cacophonously in the high canopy.
Contrasting with the intimacy of the forest is the grassy floodplain and its expansive views eastward, across the alkaline lake , to the jagged blue volcanic peaks that rise from the endless Maasai steppes . Large buffalo , wildebeest and zebra herds congregate on these grassy plains as do giraffes some so dark in coloration that they appear to be black from a distance. Inland of the floodplain, a narrow belt of acacia woodland is the favoured haunt of Manyara’s legendary tree climbing lions ,which spend most of the day spreading out along the branches of Acacia trees six to seven metres above the ground and impresively tusked elephants. Squadrons of banded mongoose dart between the acacias while the diminuitive Kirk’s dik dik forages in their shade. Pairs of klipspringer are often seen silhouetted on the rocks above a field of searing hot springs that steams and bubbles adjacent to the lakeshore in the far south of the park. Manyara provides the perfect introduction to Tanzania’s birdlife .
More than 400 species have been recorded and even a first time visitor to Africa might reasonably expect to observe 100 of these in one day.
Highligts include thousands of pink-hued flamingos on their perpetual migration as well as other large water birds such as pelicans,cormorants and storks SIZE OF THE PARK AND THE LOCATION 330 sq km (127 sq miles), of which up to 200 sq km (77 sq miles) is lake when water levels are high. Located in Northern Tanzania, Entrance gate lies 1.5 hours (126km(80 miles) west of Arusha along a newly surface road ,close to the ethnically diverse village of Mto wa Mbu. GETTING THERE By road charter or scheduled flight from Arusha, enroot to Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater or Tarangire. TO DO THERE Game drive s, Canoeing when the water levels is sufficiently high, Cultural tours , mountain bike tours , Walking on the escarpement outside the park , Visiting Agricultural farms in Mto wa mbu area. BEST TIME Dry season (July - October) for large mammals; wet season (November – June) for bird watching and the canoeing. ACCOMODATION One luxury treehouse- style camp, public bandas and campsites inside the park.Luxury tented camps and Lodges perched on the rift wall overlooking the lake and others located nearby ensure best accommodation within the area.
Several guesthouses and campsites
in nearby Mto wa mbu.

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