Day 1: Transfer to Lake Manyara National Park
7:00 AM: Departure from Arusha
• Your professional safari guide will pick you up from your hotel in Arusha in a comfortable 4x4 safari vehicle.
• The drive to Lake Manyara National Park is scenic, taking approximately 2-3 hours. You'll pass through local villages and get a glimpse of rural Tanzanian life. Your guide will provide you with snacks and bottled water for the journey.
9:30 AM: Arrival and Treetop Walkway
• Arrive at the Lake Manyara National Park gate and complete the park registration.
• Begin your adventure with the Treetop Walkway. This is a 370-meter (1,214 ft) suspended walkway that reaches heights of up to 18 meters (59 ft). It offers a unique perspective of the forest canopy and is a great way to start your day. The walk is peaceful and gives you a chance to see monkeys, birds, and other wildlife from a different vantage point.
11:00 PM: Game Drive
• After the Treetop Walkway, your guide will begin the traditional safari vehicle game drive.
• The first part of the game drive takes you through the park's lush groundwater forest, famous for its large troops of baboons and blue monkeys. You will then move into the acacia woodlands, where you'll look for the famous tree-climbing lions (sightings are not guaranteed but are a park highlight).
1:00 PM: Lunch
• Your guide will drive to a designated picnic spot with a beautiful view of the lake or the surrounding landscape.
• Enjoy a packed lunch prepared by the tour company. The meal is typically a full hot or cold lunch, including a main course, snacks, and drinks.
2:30 PM: Canoeing on the Lake
• Head to the northern end of the lake for your canoeing safari. This activity is a fantastic way to experience the park's aquatic life.
• Paddle along the shoreline with a guide, getting a close-up view of hippos, pink flamingos (seasonal), pelicans, and a variety of other water birds. It provides a peaceful and very different perspective from the game drive.
3:30 PM: Final Game Drive and Departure
• After canoeing, you will have a final game drive as you make your way to the park exit. This gives you one last chance to spot any wildlife you may have missed, such as giraffes, elephants, zebras, and a variety of antelopes.
• Begin the drive back to Arusha.
6:30 PM: Arrive in Arusha
• You will be dropped off at your hotel in the early evening, concluding your full-day safari adventure.