Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara National Park is a compact but surprisingly diverse park at the foot of the Rift Valley escarpment. The soda lake dominates much of the park's 325 square kilometers and supports enormous flocks of flamingos, pelicans, and storks. The park is famous for its tree-climbing lions — a behavior found almost nowhere else in Africa — as well as large elephant herds and hippo pools. The dense groundwater forest along the escarpment base is superb for birdwatching, with over 400 species recorded.