Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania
Adventure safari, flamingos, action sports and more
Named after the Migunga trees which surround this secluded safari camp, Migunga Forest Camp lies 5 minutes drive from the main entrance to Lake Manyara National Park. Set deep within its own 35 acres of private acacia forest, Migunga Forest Camp offers tented accommodation, excellent food and an exclusive and unique experience alive with forest birdlife, monkeys and butterflies.
Location: Migunga Forest Camp
The Migunga Forest Camp is located five minute's drive from Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania. The park lies 3 km from the small town of Mto wa Mbu, Northern Tanzania (130 kilometres west of Arusha via the Arusha-Serengeti road: approximate journey time 1.5 hours). The national park has an airstrip.
The Lake Manyara National Park
Lying in a shallow depression at the base of the western wall of the eastern arm of the Rift Valley, Lake Manyara typically shimmers in a lilac and gold heat-haze, sometimes streaked pink with thousands of flamingos. Venue for numerous adventure sports, such as walking, hiking, biking and abseiling, this beautiful national park is backed by the dramatically sheer red-and-brown cliffs of the Mto wa Mbu Escarpment.
Lake Manyara National Park includes not only a substantial portion of the lake and its shores but also large areas of ground-water forest with giant fig and mahogany trees alternating with acacia woodland and open. The national park's name is derived from the Maasai word for the Euphorbia tirucalli bush, which the tribesmen plant as a living stockade to keep their cattle from straying.
Your Lake Manyara adventure camp safari
Although it covers an area of only 318sq km, the terrain of Lake Manyara national park is so diverse that its mammal and bird lists are some of the most impressive in Tanzania. As to wildlife, the national park offers abundant sightings of; monkey, jackal, mongoose, hyena, hyrax, zebra, hippo, warthog, buffalo, Masai giraffe, duiker, waterbuck and impala.
Significant numbers of elephant are also resident in the national park whilst sightings of black rhino and leopard are not uncommon. Lake Manyara is also especially noted for its wealth of bird life, being visited by many thousands of sugar-pink lesser flamingos, significant numbers of greater flamingos and a host of other woodland, plains and water birds.
The famous tree-climbing lions of Lake Manyara
As the heat shimmers over the lake, entire prides of lion can be seen lolling in the branches of the acacia trees of the national park. The existence of tree-climbing lions is actually unusual, since Tanzania lions usually prefer to remain hidden in the thick savannah where they have a better chance of hunting their prey. Quite why the tree-climbing lions exist in this national park is unknown, but it is thought they have adopted the habit to avoid the heat and the flies and to gain a better vantage point from which to hunt.
Wildlife highlights on this Lake Manyara adventure lodge safari:
Lake Manyara national park is famous for its spectacular tree-climbing lions and also offers; monkey, jackal, mongoose, hyena, hyrax, elephant, rhino, leopard, zebra, hippo, warthog, buffalo, Masai giraffe, duiker, waterbuck and impala. Birds: Manyara is noted for its wealth of bird life, which includes many thousands of lesser flamingos, greater flamingos, pelican, yellow-billed stork and white-necked cormorant.
Accommodation: A forest safari camp
Migunga Forest Camp offers 19 semi-luxury permanent tents on raised platforms with attached bathrooms and private veranda. All the tents are discreetly placed around a central glade, offering shade and privacy but still only a short walk to the restaurant and bar. The tents feature; private bathrooms (flush WC, hot and cold running water, shower and basin), mosquito nets, electric lighting and charger points and room service.
The Migunga Forest Camp is open all year round.
Dining and bars at this adventure safari lodge
Migunga Forest Camp's traditionally-built central restaurant and bar area are timber-built and palm-thatched. Surrounded by acacia trees, in the evenings they are lit by candles, creating a fairytale atmosphere and mystique and magic. Full board is offered, but lunchboxes can also be provided. Migunga Forest Camp also offers a private reading area. Outside, cocktails and held around a blazing campfire. Menus at the camp typically reflect the best of Tanzania choices, vegetarian options, safari specials and international favourites.
Conference and event facilities forest safari camp
Migunga Forest Camp does not offer specific conference facilities but small events can be accommodated. The camp makes an ideal honeymoon or Tanzania wedding venue.
A child-friendly forests safari tented camp
Migunga Forest Camp welcomes children.
Lake Manyara adventure camp safari: what to see and do
Tanzania camp safari experiences in Lake Manyara National Park
Typical Tanzania safari experiences at Migunga Forest Camp include: safari game drives in especially adapted 4WD safari vehicles (with professionally trained Tanzania safari guides), adventure bush breakfasts, lunches and dinners; cocktails around the camp safari campfire and guided safari walks through the bush and around the flamingo-fringed lake. Migunga Forest Camp also offers ornithological tours, cultural performances and visits to the local Maasai people of Tanzania.
Specific to Lake Manyara adventure safari activities
• Adventure and action activities specific to Lake Manyara include:
• Boating trips around the Lake and its ecosystem
• Flamingo-viewing.
• Visits to the villages of the Mbu Cultural Tourism Programme offering village walks, bicycle tours and boating trips.
• Mountain biking around the national park and adjacent landscapes.
• Day trips to nearby Ngorongoro Crater and Tarangire National Park.
• A daily selection of morning and afternoon game drives around the Lake.
Visits to such famous Tanzania attractions as; Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, The Ngorongoro Crater and Conservation Area and the Ol Duvai Gorge paleolithic site.
Special attractions at Migunga Forest Camp
For a more active stay, there are a range of activities available. Just talk to us beforehand and we can arrange them for you.
Night Game Drives - In the early evening camp guests can enjoy a night drive in an open game drive vehicle with very knowledgeable guides offering a chance to see nocturnal creatures not normally see during the day such as porcupines, bush babies, bush buck, hippos, mongoose, civets and a number of nocturnal birds. Also at night, the famous 'tree climbing lions' will actually be on the ground, a much better way to view them. Besides looking at nocturnal birds and mammals the guide will also call up frogs, teach guests more about the fantastic African night skies and point out night sounds in the forest.
Mountain Biking and guided village walks or forest walks are also available.
Migunga Forest Camp - Lake Manyara • Tanzania Forest Safari Tented Camp
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