10 Best-value Luxury Lake Manyara Safari Lodges & Camps

By Philip Briggs

Lake Manyara National Park is part of the same Northern Tanzania safari circuit as the world-famous Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater. It is often treated as something of a sideshow to these iconic destinations, and many safaris bypass it entirely. But Manyara is a worthwhile addition to any safari itinerary. The setting at the base of the Rift Valley escarpment is truly spectacular. And while wildlife is not as prolific as it is in the Serengeti, you should see elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and hippo. The park is also famous for its tree-climbing lions, which are occasionally found lounging on suitable boughs in umbrella thorn and sausage trees.

The accommodations below are not ranked in a specific quality order.

1,566 Lake Manyara Safaris

1. Escarpment Luxury Lodge

Escarpment Luxury Lodge is a scenically positioned boutique property that lives up to its name

The name says it all. Escarpment Luxury Lodge is probably the most stylish and exclusive of the Lake Manyara lodges that stand atop the tall Rift Valley escarpment above the park. Guests are accommodated in 16 air-conditioned, open-plan chalets with wooden floors and locally crafted African decor. Each chalet has a wide private deck overlooking the lake and a bright modern bathroom with twin basins, Victorian-style bathtub and shower. An attractive feature of this lodge is its relatively isolated location on the edge of a forested river gorge carved into the escarpment. There is a well-appointed swimming pool, while free guided nature walks provide an opportunity to enjoy the indigenous vegetation and birdlife.

71 Escarpment Safaris

2. Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge

Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge Enjoy wonderful views over Lake Manyara from this large and luxurious Serena property

Part of the ever-reliable Kenya-based Serena chain, this attractive lodge is perched on the Rift Valley escarpment overlooking Lake Manyara. Although it is one of the biggest Lake Manyara lodges, the 67 rooms are spread widely enough around the large property that it doesn’t feel cramped. A natural stream babbles through the beautifully maintained gardens, which run down to a swimming pool offering a grandstand view toward the lake and surrounds. Activities such as guided community walks, mountain biking and night drives in the national park can be arranged in-house through Serena Active.

82 Lake Manyara Serena Safaris

3. Mawe Mawe Manyara Lodge

Mawe Mawe Manyara Lodge Mawe Mawe is a small boutique lodge whose stylishly earthy decor complements its scenic bush setting

Boasting an incredible escarpment setting directly above Lake Manyara, Mawe Mawe combines the aesthetics of a small boutique hotel with the African themed decor of a safari lodge. The spacious and uncluttered chalets have a warm, earthy feel, thanks to the treated concrete floors and wood-beam ceilings. Glass doors lead out to a wide balcony with an unforgettable lake view. Even more memorable is the snake-like freeform infinity pool, from where you can watch elephants in the forest below while you cool off in the midday heat.

59 Mawe Mawe Safaris

4. Jungle Pearl Resort

Experience an upmarket variation on traditional Maasai architecture at Jungle Pearl Resort

Minimalist and imaginative Maasai-influenced architecture is the hallmark of this attractive boutique lodge set in the heart of Mto wa Mbu village, just outside the main gate to the national park. The lodge is the brainchild of an Italian architect and a UK-raised Maasai designer. It accommodates guests in atmospheric circular chalets with thatch roofs, banana-leaf ceilings and treated concrete floors whose earthy colors emulate a traditional African hut. In keeping with its village setting, the resort was built by the local community. It is affiliated with an environmental and public health NGO called Foundation for Green Community.

12 Jungle Pearl Safaris

5. Manyara’s Secret

Aptly named Manyara’s Secret is a boutique lodge tucked away on the northeast shore of Lake Manyara

Where most luxury lodges outside Manyara stand on the escarpment, this Dutch-owned boutique lodge is set alongside the lake’s northeast floodplain. The emphasis at Manyara’s Secret is on a personalized, unpackaged safari experience. There are just four villas, ranging in size from one to four bedrooms. All come with a thatch roof, solar power, private infinity pool and personal host. Plenty of wildlife passes close to the lodge, which also offers wonderful views across the lake toward the escarpment. An advantage of staying here is that it is a lot quicker to get to the park entrance gate than it is from many of the escarpment lodges.

26 Manyara's Secret Safaris

6. Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge

Lake Manyara Kilimamoja Lodge Part of the Wellworth Collection, Kilimamoja is a family-friendly resort with top amenities

Don’t let the surprisingly rough (but mercifully short) approach road put you off. Lake Manyara Kilimamoja is a genuine five-star lodge with a superb location on the escarpment north of the national park. The 52 spacious luxury villas all come with air conditioning, fireplace, private balcony, and a bathroom with freestanding tub and both indoor and outdoor showers. Golf carts are available to ferry you around the large grounds, and amenities include an infinity swimming pool, billiard table, spa, gym, cinema and children’s activity room. The liberal use of leopard-spot and zebra-stripe fabrics might not be to all tastes. But that aside, this is a very luxurious resort-style setup that is particularly well suited to families with children.

34 Kilimamoja Lodge Safaris

7. Kirurumu Manyara Lodge

Kirurumu Manyara Lodge Kirurumu is a classic old-school tented camp set in the well-wooded escarpment above Manyara

Kirurumu is the perfect choice for budget-conscious travelers who enjoy sleeping under canvas in a genuine bush atmosphere. Operated by Hoopoe Safaris, it is one of the longest serving Lake Manyara lodges, and it retains the timeless appeal of a classic tented camp. The lodge sprawls across a well-wooded stretch of rocky escarpment that offers great views across the Rift Valley north of Lake Manyara. The grounds are alive with birds and other small creatures, including cute bush squirrels, heavyweight plated lizards and nocturnal hedgehogs. The standing tents are nestled into the bush to ensure a sense of privacy, and they all have hot showers and small decks.

Kirurumu Safaris

8. Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp

Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp This classic tented camp offers a genuine bush experience in the heart of Lake Manyara National Park

Named after the flat-topped umbrella thorns favored by Manyara’s tree-climbing lions, Tortilis is a classic semi-permanent tented camp set deep inside Lake Manyara National Park. It’s an unpretentious setup, but for those who value authenticity, the bush setting gives it a real edge over any lodge outside the park. Elephant, giraffe and other large mammals regularly wander past camp, and it’s a great location for game drives in search of those difficult-to-see arboreal lions or guided walks to the bird-rich lakeshore.

Lake Manyara Tortilis Safaris

9. &Beyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge

&Beyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge Enjoy your very own luxury treehouse, complete with personal butler, in mahogany-shaded Tree Lodge

For the ultimate luxury Manyara experience, look no further than &Beyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge. Situated in a shady mahogany forest in the far south of the national park, this exclusive lodge comprises 10 sophisticated stilted treehouse suites with banana-leaf roofs and private decks. The forest oozes tranquility and serenity, but it is also home to plenty of birds, and you’re bound to hear bush babies call at night. Tree Lodge is stunning in every sense, but you could argue that its greatest attraction is a remote location so deep in the park that you feel you have the place to yourself on early morning and late afternoon game drives.

10. Chem Chem Lodge

Chem Chem Lodge Stirring views across Lake Manyara and rewarding guided game walks are on offer at luxurious Chem Chem

Ultra-luxurious Chem Chem offers a unique vantage point on Lake Manyara. A fabulous stilted lodge comprising eight spacious and earthily stylish cottages, it stands on a private concession that incorporates the lake’s southeastern shore and grassy floodplain. This is an important migratory corridor between Lake Manyara and Tarangire National Parks, which means that plenty of wildlife can be seen on walking safaris. Other attractions are the views across the lake toward the Rift Valley escarpment, large flocks of flamingos and other waterbirds, and the opportunity to do day safaris to both of the above national parks.