Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara is a shallow alkaline lake found in the national park of the same name on a Tanzania safari. It is part of the Natron-Manyara-Balangida branch of the East African Rift in the Arusha region of Tanzania. The park covers an area of 329 square kilometres (127 square miles) of which 231 square kilometres (89 square miles) is the lake itself.

Lake Manyara National Park was established in 1960 and hosts a variety of habitats including groundwater forests, swampy fan delta, acacia woodlands and a grassy plain.
The park houses the largest baboon troops ever documented, these troops can include up to 200 baboons. Hippos, impalas, elephants, wildebeest, buffalo, warthogs and giraffes are all found in the park. There is a large leopard population but these elusive animals are often hard to spot. The lions of Lake Manyara are famous for climbing trees. It remains a mystery why these creatures spend so much time in trees, however, some suggest that “umbrella trees” (acacia trees) help to beat the heat.