Hemingway's "loveliest lake in Africa". Stretching beneath the towering pink-brown cliffs of the Great Rift Valley, Lake Manyara is a compact jewel — two-thirds of the park is the shimmering soda lake itself. The tree-climbing lions: Nowhere else on Earth do lions so regularly lounge in tree branches — some say to escape the heat, others the biting flies. Seeing a pride draped over an acacia is a sight you'll never forget. Flamingos and forests: When conditions are right, the lake turns pink with thousands of lesser flamingos, joined by pelicans and storks — over 400 bird species in total. At the entrance, a lush groundwater forest of fig and mahogany trees shelters blue monkeys and troops of baboons, while elephants wander between forest and shore. Adventure extras: Manyara is one of the few Tanzanian parks offering canoe safaris and night game drives, and its treetop walkway — suspended 18 metres high — gives you a monkey's-eye view of the forest. Perfect as the first or last stop of your northern circuit.

Activities : Game Drives