Lake Manyara Tree Lodge in Lake Manyara National Park

Lake Manyara Tree Lodge sits inside Lake Manyara National Park, in a quiet and secluded part of the groundwater forest close to the lake shore. Staying here puts you right in the heart of the park, surrounded by the forest and wildlife rather than driving out through the gates at the end of each day. The setting feels very different from the open savannah plains that many travellers picture when they think of a Tanzania safari. Thick greenery, mature trees and the sounds of the forest surround the lodge, while its stilted treehouse suites sit above the ground and connect through the forest by elevated walkways. With just 9 treehouse suites and space for a maximum of 20 guests, Lake Manyara Tree Lodge has an intimate feel. The appeal is not in having a large property, but in the sense of staying quietly within the forest. Wildlife can move through the area around the lodge, sometimes passing below the raised decks, while Lake Manyara lies just a short distance away.

Where Is Lake Manyara Tree Lodge Located?

Lake Manyara Tree Lodge sits inside Lake Manyara National Park, tucked away in a quiet groundwater forest close to the lake. Its location gives you something that many other lodges around the park cannot offer: you stay right in the heart of the park rather than outside the gates. This makes a real difference to the feel of your safari. After a game drive, you do not leave the park and return to a conventional hotel setting. Instead, you come back to a forest surrounded by trees, with raised suites, wooden walkways and viewing decks blending naturally into the surroundings. The setting is particularly enjoyable in the early morning and late afternoon, when the forest takes on a quieter atmosphere, and you are still surrounded by the sights and sounds of the park. With its secluded position among the trees, Lake Manyara Tree Lodge feels less like a conventional safari camp and more like a private treehouse retreat in the middle of the wilderness.

Treehouse Suites at Lake Manyara Tree Lodge

Lake Manyara Tree Lodge has just 9 stilted treehouse suites, built from local timber and Makuti palm fronds and tucked into the forest canopy. The suites sit above the forest floor and are linked by raised wooden walkways, giving the lodge a wonderful sense of being part of the surrounding forest rather than sitting heavily within it. With space for around 20 guests across the lodge, the atmosphere remains intimate and private. Each treehouse gives you your own quiet corner of the forest, with the sounds of birds and wildlife carrying through the trees.

What Each Treehouse Suite Includes

The suites are designed to make the forest part of your stay. A generous wrap-around deck gives you a private place to sit with a morning coffee, listen to the forest, or watch for wildlife moving below. Large windows and netted walls bring plenty of natural light and fresh air into the rooms while keeping insects outside. The design also lets you hear the sounds of the forest around you, which is part of what makes staying here different from a conventional lodge. Each suite has an en-suite bathroom with an outdoor shower, so you can shower surrounded by the greenery of the forest. A private game-viewing deck also looks towards the forest floor, where elephants and other animals can sometimes pass beneath the raised suites. Inside, the natural character continues through locally sourced furnishings and simple décor that complement the timber and palm-frond construction. Main suite features include:

• Wrap-around private deck
• En-suite bathroom with outdoor shower
• Large forest-facing windows
• Netted walls
• Private game-viewing deck
• Locally crafted furnishings and natural décor
• Wi-Fi during operating hours

Power, Wi-Fi and Practical Room Information

Lake Manyara Tree Lodge operates on generator power, with electricity and Wi-Fi available during the main operating hours. Between 11 pm and 5 am, both full power and Wi-Fi are switched off for the night. If you are carrying camera batteries, phones or other equipment, it is worth charging everything before heading to bed. For photographers and travellers carrying several electronic devices, this is a small but useful detail to keep in mind when staying at the lodge.

Restaurants and Dining at Lake Manyara Tree Lodge

Dining here fits naturally into the forest setting. Rather than feeling separated from the surroundings, the main dining area keeps the atmosphere open and connected to the outdoors. The restaurant sits on the ground level of the central lodge, directly beneath the lounge and bar. Its open design allows the surrounding forest to remain part of the setting while you eat.

Open-Kitchen Restaurant

One of the highlights is the open kitchen, where you can watch the chefs prepare your meals. If you enjoy getting involved rather than simply sitting down for dinner, cooking classes give you the chance to work alongside the kitchen team and prepare some of the food yourself. Meals can also be served on the outdoor decking beneath the open sky, while a traditional African boma provides another setting for dining during your stay. The menus follow the seasons and make food an important part of the overall lodge experience, rather than simply something served between safari activities.

Bar and Lake Shore Sundowners

The lounge and bar occupy the upper level of the main lodge, directly above the dining area, making it a natural place to relax with a drink after a day in the park. For something more memorable, head down to the shores of Lake Manyara for a sundowner. The lodge team sets up drinks on the grassy lakeshore as the sun drops over the water, giving you a relaxed way to finish the day surrounded by the lake and the sounds of the evening. It is a very different experience from simply returning to the lodge bar after a game drive and gives you a chance to enjoy Lake Manyara itself as part of the evening.

Swimming Pool, Wellness and Other Lodge Facilities

For a lodge with just nine suites, Lake Manyara Tree Lodge offers a thoughtful range of facilities while keeping the quiet, intimate feel of its forest setting.

Forest Swimming Pool

The swimming pool sits within the lodge grounds, surrounded by trees and greenery. It is smaller and more private than the pools you find at larger safari lodges, which fits the character of this nine-suite property perfectly. It is a pleasant place to cool off during the warmer part of the day, with the forest providing shade and a peaceful setting between safari activities.

Massage Sala and Butler Service

The open-air Massage Sala takes the spa experience into the forest, with treatments enjoyed among the trees rather than in a conventional enclosed room. Personal butler service adds another level of comfort to the stay, from arranging special touches in your suite to preparing a relaxing bubble bath. Complimentary laundry is also part of the service.

Family and Guest Facilities

The lodge has a crafts gallery and signature shop where you can browse locally made items during your stay. Wildlife viewing starts right from your suite. Swarovski Optik binoculars are available in every room, making it easier to watch birds and wildlife around the lodge or get a closer look during game drives. Families travelling with children can make use of the WILDchild programme, which gives younger guests their own range of activities suited to their age and interests. For guests who enjoy keeping track of what they see, the lodge also has a Guide’s Journal, wildlife and vegetation checklist, and Star Birds checklist. These are useful little additions, particularly for anyone interested in birding and the smaller details of the forest.

What Is Included in a Stay at Lake Manyara Tree Lodge?

A stay at Lake Manyara Tree Lodge is designed as a fully inclusive safari experience, so you are paying for considerably more than accommodation alone. Your stay includes:

• Accommodation
• Three meals each day
• Soft drinks
• House wines
• Local-brand spirits and beers
• Tea and coffee
• Refreshments during lodge activities
• Morning game drive
• Afternoon game drive

With meals, drinks, refreshments and the main game-drive programme included, you can settle into the lodge and focus on the safari rather than arranging each part of your stay separately.

Safari Activities and Experiences at Lake Manyara Tree Lodge

Lake Manyara Tree Lodge gives you more than a comfortable place to stay between game drives. Days here can be spent exploring Lake Manyara National Park, watching birds around the forest and lake, enjoying a cooking class, or simply slowing down on your private treehouse deck.

Game Drives in Lake Manyara National Park

Game drives are at the heart of a stay at Lake Manyara Tree Lodge. Set out in an open 4×4 and explore the park’s changing landscapes, from woodland and forest to the shores of Lake Manyara, looking for elephants, buffalo, plains game and the park’s famous tree-climbing lions. One of the advantages of staying inside the park is that your safari begins right where you are staying. There is no need to start each morning with a long drive from outside the park before reaching the wildlife areas.

Birdwatching

Lake Manyara is an excellent destination for birdwatchers, with the lake and surrounding forest attracting a wide variety of species. Flamingos and other waterbirds gather around the soda lake, while the groundwater forest brings you into a completely different birding environment. A walk around the lodge and its forested surroundings can reveal species you would not necessarily encounter around the open lake. The lodge also has a Guides’ Journal with illustrated wildlife and vegetation checklists, along with a Star Birds checklist for the area, making it easy to keep track of the species you encounter during your stay.

Cooking Classes

When you are not out on safari, you can get involved in the kitchen with a hands-on cooking class. Working alongside the culinary team gives you the chance to see how some of the meals are prepared and take part in the process yourself. It is a relaxed way to spend the quieter hours of the day, particularly between a morning game drive and your evening safari.

Massage Treatments and Sundowners

For a slower afternoon, head to the Massage Sala for a massage or spa treatment. It is a chance to unwind after a morning in the park before getting ready for the evening. As the day comes to an end, a sundowner beside Lake Manyara is a fitting way to finish your safari day. Settle in with a drink, watch the light change across the lake and enjoy the quieter side of the landscape. And sometimes, the best thing to do is nothing at all. Sit back on your private treehouse deck, listen to the forest around you and watch the wildlife and birdlife passing through. At Lake Manyara Tree Lodge, that quiet time is part of the safari experience.