Is it possible to organize a trip to Tanzania without including a safari? The answer seems to be no. The classic route offered takes you from Lake Manyara to Tarangire via the wonderful and legendary destinations of Ngorongoro and the Serengeti.
I advise you to make this your first stop so that you don't waste the first day travelling. Once past the entrance, the road goes through lush jungle. Baboons, toucans, antelopes and elephants are to be seen here. You emerge from the forest onto a vast plain. This is zebra, wildebeest and, of course, lion territory. The antelope here flee at the slightest suspicious sound. Whereas the calmer giraffes relish eating the leaves of the acacia trees. Around the lake's banks, the pink of thousands of flamingos adds a beautiful shade of color to accompany the blue of the water.
In short, Lake Manyara National Park is a beautiful place to begin your safari.
Although the Lake Manyara reserve is small, you will be blown away by the extraordinary concentration of animals that you'll be able to see.
It's the prime area for important baboon colonies who literally take over the trees. Green and blue monkeys move around in groups and it was very touching to see the small monkeys cling onto their mothers.
There are also warthogs, giraffes and elephants. For birdwatching enthusiasts, we have been particularly spoilt, this area houses 400 different species and we have been able to observe wonderful specimens, notably a hornbill with an oversized beak and magnificent, unusually coloured passerines.
The highlight of the spectacle was without doubt seeing a large number of hippopotamuses coming to cool off on the banks of the lake. These animals demand respect as well as being imposing. We strongly advise you to add this stop-off point inthe organisation of your safari in Tanzania.