Lake Manyara National Park

A narrow strip of park between the Rift Valley escarpment and the soda lake below it. In a couple of hours you pass through dense groundwater forest, open floodplain and lake shore — one of the most varied short drives in Tanzania, and famous for lions that rest in the acacias.

Small, and worth it

Manyara is often treated as a warm-up on the way to Ngorongoro. Given a full morning it stands on its own: huge baboon troops, elephant in the forest, and flamingo on the flats when water levels suit.

The treetop walkway

A canopy walkway runs high through the groundwater forest — a different perspective on a park usually seen from a vehicle.