Lake Manyara: GPS trails, Geotagged photos and more….

Lake Manyara was our first game drive destination on our 9 day travails through Tanzania. After landing at Nairobi we traveled for nearly 7 hours before we could reach here. Even though we were very tired the abundance of birdlife and wildlife made up for everything.

Lake Manyara Park facts

Located in northern Tanzania the park is spread over 330 sqkm of which 200 sq km is an alkaline / soda lake. The land area of the park is a narrow 50 km long strip of land with the Great Rift Valley to the West and Lake Manyara to the East. From the entrance gate the land begins as a lush ground water forest but it soon opens out to expanse of the the grassy flood plains. The trail of Lake Manyara National Park is effectively a loop that can be traversed within a couple of hours that may be stretched to a few more at best, if driving slowly, to watch, observe and enjoy the diversity of flora and fauna. There are about 300 species of birds recorded here

We spent a few hours in the evening of the first day and then the next morning – the mammal targeted was the Hippo, however it refused to oblige us and stayed firmly put in the water. I did manage to get some birds here. Since most of the birds were new to us photographing even the commonest was exciting! This was for the first time I saw a Pelican perched so high up in the tree, but then I am told that they do… What I dismissed very stupidly as Painted Storks were in fact Yellow-billed Storks, am glad I took those pictures.

P.S You may also want to read Swati’s account and see the pictures she took https://swatisani.net/blog/2010/05/25/lake-manyara-national-park-tanzania/