August 18th, 2016

Day 140: Lake Manyara

We left the Tarangire Sopa Lodge early in the morning, and drove to the Sangaiwe Gate at the opposite end of the park. From there, it was a 35KM drive to Lake Manyara National Park, via a dirt road that passed through many rural villages. As we passed through the villages, many of the children would start running after the car shouting in Swahili. When we asked Joseph to translate, he said they were asking for money or presents.

Well. We had actually been preparing for this. Plenty of fellow travelers had recommended bringing candy to hand out to children in various countries, but do we want to contribute to the rotting of their teeth (not to mention rewarding poor manners)? No! Instead, we’ve been saving all of the travel toothbrushes and hotel soaps throughout our travels in southern Africa, and we gleefully started pulling them out of our bags. When we explained what we had to Joseph, he started laughing, and agreed to help us warn the kiddies NOT to eat the soaps. We felt like the lame parents giving out “healthy” Halloween snacks – not sure if the kids in these villages will keep running after cars anymore…

Leaving Tarangire early in the morning – despite the beautiful sunrise, Lindsay was very sleepy and took a little nap on our way to Lake Manyara. We didn’t see many animals on the way out, unfortunately, expect for a very red warthog (who looks like he’s been raiding the nerby termite mound!)

Passing through Lake Manyara National Park as a day-trip on our way to the Serengeti. While we wait for Joseph to pay the park fees, we get our first introduction to the wildlife – a teeny tree frog that tried to join our safari!

Lake Manyara is only 50KM long, so it is a very small park – more of a corridor for wildlife travelling through to Tarangire from the Serengeti. But despite its small size, it is very beautiful (according to Wikipedia, Ernest Hemingway thought this place was da bomb). There is a decent amount of wildlife to see (although the tree-lions eluded us) – a lot of birds, wildebeest, elephants and a pair of well-camouflaged lions. We finished the park in the late afternoon and kicked back in our tented lodge just before sunset, enjoying a beautiful view and a tasty dinner.

Lake Manyara, with mountains from the Rift Valley escarpment in the background

Many birds call Lake Manyara home, including both Greater and Lesser Flamingos, and lots of pelicans

Flocks of pelicans flying in the distance

Plenty of wildebeest in Lake Manyara Park – this cute guy takes a dirt bath while his friend just stares at him like he’s crazy

Who’s that hiding in the bush? It’s a lion! She’s eyeing the warthog, but since she’s upwind, the warthog gets tipped off by her scent and runs off to safety

Another ridiculously large (but tasty) lunch box from our hotel. Lindsay and Igor started trading food items that we felt we could finish – like kids at school! – even so, we still had a few items for Joseph to donate for us.

We are more excited than we should be over a 5min walk on a boardwalk, but after such a huge lunch, any exercise is welcome – especially one with a view like this

Looking back at the park from the waters of Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara – said to be the “loveliest lake in Africa” by Ernest Hemingway (source: Wikipedia)

Natural hot springs bubble down from the escarpment and drain into the lake, creating a few “hot tubs” for the local Cape Buffalo to enjoy an afternoon soak!

More birds in Lake Manyara – a pair of green & yellow Bee-Eaters and a female ostrich

A trio of baobab trees in the hills

As we drive through the forest, we keep a sharp eye out for the tree-climbing lions, but without any luck. Near the exit to the small park, we come upon a huge traffic jam of safari jeeps

A family of elephants is chowing down on the trees along the side of the road – unlike the ellies in Botswana & Namibia, these gentle giants allow us to get extremely close without a fuss