| Ernest Hemingway once referred to Lake | | | | It is not the escarpment itself that is |
| Manyara as the most beautiful place in | | | | accountable for the climatic border but the |
| Africa. This subjective comment may or may | | | | crater highlands which seem to perch on the |
| not be true but once you have seen it you | | | | plateau that runs back from the edge of the |
| will agree that it is incredibly beautiful as | | | | escarpment and finally gives way to the |
| too, are the many animals and birds that can | | | | masses of the inactive volcanoes Oldeani and |
| be seen there. | | | | Ngorongoro. At 3070m and 2512m respectively |
| | | | they form a wall to the east trade winds |
| Alone its situation determines its wonder. | | | | which bring long rains for four months of the |
| The enormous African Rift Valley stretches | | | | year on which the montane, ground water |
| from the Arabian peninsula to its | | | | forests, that closely resemble rain forests, |
| southernmost point in Zambia and its East | | | | thrive. Thus a green stripe crowns much of |
| African section in Tanzania imposes a | | | | the area and only kilometres to the east in |
| majestic background to the lake which is | | | | the lower flatlands at Lake Manyara, and on |
| nestled three hundred meters below the | | | | to the Maasai Steppe, savannah grasslands are |
| chameleon like escarpment that rises sharply | | | | home to Africa's wildest game. |
| up to twelve hundred meters above sea level. | | | | |
| Chameleon like because at different heights | | | | What makes this area so wonderful is not just |
| and in different seasons the vegetation | | | | the vast abundance of various creatures, |
| displays not only different hues, shades of | | | | including over four hundred bird species, but |
| deep green, brown and yellow but also the | | | | how you experience them. As you travel along |
| rock itself acts as a kaleidoscope throughout | | | | the western side of the lake up to the |
| the entire day at the mercy of the migratory | | | | escarpment wall, your eyes consume that |
| sun. | | | | multitude of variety in vegetation, colour |
| | | | and landscape, and you see, interspersed in |
| The escarpment at this point acts as a | | | | this impressive flora is the African fauna |
| climatic border promoting bands of vegetation | | | | that everyone dreams to see in its natural |
| that change dramatically over short east-west | | | | habitat. Leopards lurking in the bush, lions |
| distances. Strips of Mother Nature's earth | | | | uncharacteristically lying in trees, impala |
| which range from rich green groundwater | | | | cautiously browsing between the shade |
| forests through grassy acacia woods onto | | | | providing acacia and zebra accompanying gnus |
| scrubby bush land which opens up to yellow | | | | along the lakeside. Four of the big five |
| savannah grasslands that border the sometimes | | | | reside in Lake Manyara National Park and |
| grey, sometimes deep blue, natrium flavoured | | | | every curve in the flat sandy road hides the |
| lake. | | | | next surprise. |
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