The East African Rift Valley is one of the world’s most famous geological features.
But imagine staying on a tourist property which meanders alongside the perimeter edge of the rift valley escarpment overlooking the legendary Lake Manyara below.
Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge is the only hotel which sits firmly at the edge of the Rift Valley, providing guests with a vantage view of the vast landscape below which is split between a lake and wildlife filled National Park.
It features a total of 67 rooms built into well-designed 17 huts each with two vertical floors.
The Lodge of the ring
The experience at Manyara starts right at the entrance.
Getting into the main lobby has been designed right from a fairy tale. It makes you feel like you are entering into a ‘hobbit’ home in case you have watched the ‘Lord of the Ring!’
But again, it is a lodge on the ring of the Rift Valley.
The eagle has landed
Gazing over the property from the sky, the huts’ roofings look like a flock of migratory giant birds that have just landed.
In fact, according to the management, even the designers call it ‘Birds Migration Shape!’
But it is not far-fetched either, because Manyara, the lake which inspired the Lodge’s identity, happens to be home to migratory birds, precisely the pink coated lesser flamingos.
Lake Manyara is the first station where the pink flamingos from Lake Manyara land after breeding season at Lake Natron.
Manyara, a shallow, alkaline water body, is the seventh largest lake in Tanzania with a surface measuring 470 square kilometers, encompassed within the Natron-Manyara-Balangida branch of the East African Rift Valley.
The legend of the Manyara Spear
The name is derived from Maasai word “Emanyara”, which is the spiky trees dotting the landscape that the pastoralists normally use to make protective enclosure around a family homestead.
Another theory is that the Mbugwe tribe, that live within the Lake Manyara area, have the word ‘Manyero,’ meaning a water trough, or place where animals go to drink.
But on the other hand, the Iraqw tribe of Mbulu, calls Lake Manyara ‘Tlawta Moya!’
This is because the legend has it that ‘Moya’ was the servant of an ancient chief Haymu Tipe who led the tribe into the area, but the lake had occupied most of the land such that there was little left for farming.
Chief Haymu instructed his servant, ‘Moya,’ to move the lake and create dry land for his people.
Moya, as the story goes, tied a rope around his spear, then threw it onto the middle of the shallow lake.
He then started dragging the spear along as he walked away and the lake followed until it reached the current position.
Lake Manyara forms an important part of the adjacent National Park, which has been famous for tree-climbing lions, hot water springs and aerial canopy walkway.
It however provides an important activity; Canoeing on Lake Manyara, is a favorite adventure among guests who enjoy paddling in the midst of flamingos, hippos, marabou storks.
Lake Manyara is also a UNESCO man and biosphere reserve.
The Lake, the National Park and the wilderness below can be enjoyed from the comfort of any of the 67 rooms at the Serena Safari Lodge.
The huts are two-floor structures housing four private rooms each with a view of the massive valley below the edge and the Lake which forms a larger part of its landscape.
Swim when you are winning
Sometimes a luxury lodge is all about art.
And this also applies to Lake Manyara Serena’s swimming pool.
Its curvature stretches to the edge of the landscape making the pool’s blue waters look like they have been directly connected to the equally blue sky,
Venture further and it will seem like the water flows down into the lake which is seen beneath the rift, except it is just a clever design which by itself, is worth the trip to the facility.
Saved by the dinner bell
Worried about how safe the food in hotels is?
At Lake Manyara guests eat healthy organic food.
The hotel grows its own kitchen raw materials from the adjacent garden from which fresh vegetables and spices that find their way to the table are produced.
Guests eat straight from the farm.
In case you feel like cleansing the body with real food, then the lodge on the rift valley edge beckons.
The lodge is also ready to arrange Bush breakfasts, bush lunches and evening Cocktail parties.
Signature experiences meet Adventure activities
Serena Manyara offers Nature walks around the Rift Valley escarpments with a sweeping view of the natural landscape and the legendary lake view.
Along the way there you walk across live fish ponds and gaze at swimming tilapias and other species.
Forest hiking takes you into the Kirurumu Gorge, this is a hidden world of ancient fig trees, untouched wilderness.
Mountain Biking safari, where guests get to pedal into nature gaining experience and muscles in the process.
In case you don’t want to venture far from the lodge then there are 100 species of birds flying around and can be watched and photographed at the property.
Monkeys, baboons and bushbabies also throng the park.
Mto wa Mbu, the nearest hamlet offers cultural tourism, indigenous cuisine and a walk into banana plantation to experience traditional lifestyle.
Adventure doesn’t have to stop when the sun settles behind the horizon.
Night game drives from the hotel into the park to witness the nocturnal wildlife that come alive under the African stars.
Getting there
There is an airfield just two kilometers away from the Serena Manyara Safari Lodge.
Serena Lodge is also two kilometers from the main road which leads to Ngorongoro Conservation Area and gateway to Serengeti
Night game drive to witness the nocturnal wildlife that come alive under the African stars