Lake Manyara National Park

Gazetted in 1960, Lake Manyara runs as a thin strip along the foot of the Great Rift Valley's western wall. That geography is its strength: groundwater forest, acacia woodland, open floodplain and the alkaline lake itself all sit within a few kilometres, packing a wide range of habitats — and wildlife — into a small area.

The park is best known for lions that rest in the branches of acacia and fig trees, a behaviour seen in only a handful of places in Africa. Large herds of elephant and buffalo move through the groundwater forest, and when lake levels are right, thousands of flamingos gather alongside pelicans and storks — Manyara is rated among the best birding parks in the region, with over 400 species. The escarpment backdrop gives it some of the most dramatic scenery of any northern park, and a canopy walkway now lets visitors explore the forest from above.