Night Game Drive in Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara is the ideal location for a night game drive because of its many ecosystems. It is said to have 11 different systems; the area is a melting pot for all types of animals and plants – with the lake, the rift valley cliffs, ground water forest and Ngorongoro highlands all close by.

There is an abundance of elusive animals that are rarely seen in the day, but that are incredibly active at night. Keep your eyes open, and hopefully you will be lucky enough to spot genets, civet cats and porcupines. Easier to see will be the massive hippos happily foraging under a leafy tree on the road side. Leopards often wander around the park and, even though a sighting cannot be guaranteed, there are frequent sightings of these beautiful beasts. Lions are often more active at night, and this can be an opportunity to see these animals doing more than snoozing in the shade!

Night game drive programme:

Your drive starts around 20:00 from where you head into the thick ground-water forest of Lake Manyara. From the forest you head down towards the lake following the Simba River to the hippo pools. You will return back to the forest and finally be back at the park gate around 22:30.
This night safari will give you an entirely different perspective of the park and wildlife.