• Pick-Up Location:
Arusha, in the morning at 7 AM or thereabout from the time the trip starts.
Morning:
After a short introduction, you will be picked up from your respective Arusha hotel and taken on a 3 hour express to Lake Manyara National Park. The ride takes you through beautiful scenery and viewpoints of Mt. Meru and the Great Rift Valley/south east Kenya. Arrival at Lake Manyara: When you get there, you will be met by your professional guide who will give you a brief history and background of the park, its ecosystems as well as the species of animals that you are likely to see. Enjoy your morning game drive within the northern and western part of the park only. The park is also famous for the tree climbing lions so make sure to look for the big cats lying on the acacia trees which is quite uncommon.
Wildlife Viewing:
Large herbivores like elephants, buffaloes, zebras, and giraffes are easy to spot in the park, which is characterized by open woodlands and savannahs. Apart from the Big Five you will also be able to see cheetahs, impalas and wildebeests. Go to the lakeshore where there are large numbers of flamingos and other water birds. Many of the lakes of East Africa are salty and this makes the waters of Lake Manyara ideal for a large number of water birds making it a perfect sanctuary for bird watchers. Get to the viewing platform which is near the Great Rift Valley Escarpment. Here, you will be able to have a view of the park, the lake and the escarpment in the distance. It is also a good position for taking photos as well.
Have lunch at a picnic setting within one of the viewings areas of the park where you can get a good view of the lake and other animals. The guide will also be of much interest telling you about the various aspects of the environment and the behaviors of the animals.
Afternoon: Continue Safari and Departure
After lunch, proceed with your afternoon game drive in other parts of the park wherein there are a lot of animals. During the afternoon, the animals are more likely to be active and you may see them feeding near the lake or foraging for food in the grassy field. Do not miss the hippo pool where hippos are known to be swimming in the water to cool off. If you love birds then the Lake Manyara Wetlands is the perfect place to go. There are more than 400 species of birds in the park so get ready to see pelicans, storks, herons and the fish eagle.
It is also probable to see large numbers of flamingos and other migratory birds during the tour.
Departure:
When the game drive is over, proceed back to Arusha and you will get to Arusha at around 5 O’Clock to 6 O’Clock in the evening.
Meals: The meals that are included in the package are breakfast and a picnic lunch. Other dinner arrangements can be made when you get to your hotel or lodge upon returning from the long journey.