Lake Manyara Day Trip
A full-day Lake Manyara safari from Arusha, about two and a half hours' drive away, through groundwater forest, open grassland and the shore of the Rift Valley soda lake.
Lake Manyara National Park lies at the foot of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, about two and a half hours' drive from Arusha. It is a small park, but it changes scenery quickly: a green groundwater forest near the gate, open grassland, and the shallow soda lake that gives the park its name and fills a large part of it. Big troops of olive baboons live in the forest, elephants feed beneath the tall trees and hippos gather at the hippo pool. When the water level suits them, flamingos and other waterbirds feed along the shore.
Highlights
- Game drives through forest, grassland and lakeshore
- The hippo pool
- Baboons, monkeys, elephants, giraffe and buffalo
- Flamingos and other waterbirds when water levels are right
- Views of the Rift Valley escarpment
- Available as a private tour or a shared group
Your driver-guide collects you from your hotel in Arusha between 07:30 and 08:00. The drive west takes about two and a half hours, through farmland and the market town of Mto wa Mbu, which sits just outside the park gate. You travel in a 4x4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof, so everyone has a clear view once the game drive begins.
The first game drive starts in the forest, where baboons and monkeys move through the trees and elephants browse in the shade. It then opens onto grassland where giraffe, zebra, buffalo, impala and warthog graze, and down to the hippo pool. Lions here sometimes rest in the branches of trees, a habit the park is known for, although sightings are never guaranteed. Lunch is a packed lunch at one of the park's picnic sites.
After lunch, a second game drive looks for anything you missed in the morning, with time along the lakeshore for birds. In the late afternoon you leave the park and drive back to your hotel in Arusha, arriving in the early evening.
This day trip can be booked as a private trip, or you can join a shared group. Ask us and we will find one for you.
Price Per Person, By Group Size
| Group Size | Price Per Person |
|---|---|
| 2 travellers | $295 |
| 6 travellers | $180 |
| 1, 3–5 or 7+ travellers | On request |
Price per person in US dollars, based on the number of people travelling together in one vehicle. Discounts are available for children under 16.
Includes
- Pick-up & drop-off at your accommodation
- English-speaking private driver/guide
- 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof
- Game drives in Lake Manyara National Park
- Park fees & government taxes
- Packed lunch, drinking water, coffee & tea
Excludes
- Tips for the guide
- Travel insurance
- Tanzania's compulsory inbound travel insurance for foreign visitors (44 US dollars per person, from 1 October 2026)
- Any government increase in park fees or taxes after booking
What to Bring
- Neutral-coloured clothing
- Sunscreen and a hat
- Camera and binoculars
