Getting to Lake Manyara 

Most safari travellers to Lake Manyara start in Arusha. It’s the closest town to the park and is only about a 90-minute drive away. 

If you are going on a full northern circuit safari, you’ll start in Arusha with the first stop being Lake Manyara before heading to the other national parks. 

Getting to Arusha

The easiest and fastest way to get to Lake Manyara is to first get to Arusha. Arusha has a small regional airport (ARK). It only serves local carriers like Precision Air, ZanAir, Safari Air Link, and Regional Air. 

If you’re already in Tanzania, you can fly into Arusha from Dar Es Salaam and Zanzibar. If you’re coming from an international destination, you’ll need to connect to Arusha through Julius Nyerere Airport (DAR). 

This airport in Dar Es Salaam is one of the most popular airports to fly into because it serves many different destinations and airlines. British Airways, KLM, Emirates, and Qatar all fly into DAR. 

You can also fly into DAR from other African countries like Kenya and South Africa. 

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in Moshi also has many different international flight options. They serve fewer airlines than DAR though. Make sure to check all airline choices and prices before buying your ticket. 

Some airlines also fly to both places. For example, KLM has a flight from Amsterdam that has a quick stopover in JRO and then heads to DAR without the need to switch planes. 

JRO is closer to Arusha. Without traffic, it’s about an hour and 15-minute drive. Many safari companies will pick you up from JRO and drive you to your accommodation site in Arusha before heading to Lake Manyara later the next day. 

Getting From Arusha to Lake Manyara 

From Arusha to Lake Manyara, the drive is about an hour and a half. Your safari guide will do all the driving, so you can sit back and relax. Most people bring headphones so they can listen to music and watch the scenery go by from the windows. 

Your safari guide is also there to converse with you if you want to learn more about Tanzania or practice your Swahili. 

The road from Arusha to Lake Manyara is completely tarmacked so the drive is short and pleasant. Most people choose to drive rather than fly because it’s less expensive. Since the drive is short it’s possible even with itineraries that are pressed for time. 

Flying to Lake Manyara 

There are also options to fly to Lake Manyara since the park has an airstrip. You can only fly to Lake Manyara from Serengeti or Arusha. 

If you want to fly, Tanzania safaris company can arrange a charter flight that brings you directly into the park. 

You can also head to Ngorongoro Crater from Serengeti and then to Lake Manyara. From Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara is about a two-hour drive. 

Lake Manyara Gates 

Once you arrive at the park, your safari guide will take you to one of the gates. The park has a northern gate and a southern gate. 

Most travellers will enter through the northern gate because it’s closer to the lodging sites and other accommodation choices. 

If you’re bringing your own car to Lake Manyara rather than coming with a safari company, you can also pay the entrance fees and permits at the northern gate. 

Your safari guide, if you’re coming with one, will scan their permit here as well since the northern gate has an electronic system making it easy to use permits to enter and exit the park. 

There is also a small visitor center at the northern gate where you can get maps and learn more about the park. 

The northern gate is just 10 minutes from the Lake Manyara airstrip so it won’t take you long to get there if you’re flying. 

Even if you’re entering by the southern gate, you’ll still head to the northern gate when you exit as it’s one of the only parts of the parks with a cafe and washrooms. 

Starting Your Lake Manyara Safari 

Lake Manyara is one of the most visited parks in Tanzania since it’s part of other popular northern circuit parks like Tarangire and Serengeti. No matter if you choose to drive or fly, Lake Manyara is ready to welcome you. 

It offers spectacular wildlife viewing options all year round, especially for those that want to see large herds of elephants or many different species of birds. 

Getting to Lake Manyara is also easy because at Tanzania safaris we arrange all the transportation for you!