Tanzania's small Lake Manyara National Park (123 sq mi/319 sq km) in the Great Rift Valley is famous for its tree-climbing lions (they go up in the acacia trees during the heat of the day) and thousands of pink flamingos. Thanks to the varied terrain (woodland, lakes, open grassland, and groundwater forests of breadfruit and fig trees), there's a wide variety of animal life, including some large herds of elephant and more than 400 different species of birds.
On the way to the Ngorongoro Crater, all safari companies stop at the viewpoints at the top of the escarpment overlooking the park, but it warrants at least an overnight stop on a longer safari of the Northern Circuit.
The park is 330 mi/530 km northwest of Dar es Salaam.
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