Altitude: 960 m.a.m.s.l.
A raised wooden platform on the northern shores of
lake Manyara national park that is used as a higher vantage point for viewing hippos in the vast swamp. It is one of few areas in the park aside from campsites where visitors are allowed to alight from their vehicle.
Standing about 6 feet above the ground, it also is a good platform for viewing the walls of the rift valley as well as other animals that may be in the area.
What to do there?Hippo viewing, bird watching and game drives - both during the day and night, though a ranger may be needed for the latter. For a list of other things to see in the area, please see our
attractions page.
Best time to visit?Any time of the year
Location of Lake manyara hippo pool viewpointThe viewpoint is located on the northern end of lake Manyara, about a 10 minutes drive south of the park's main gate. It also sits in a vast swampy area that is formed by the mouth of the river that drains water from the groundwater forest.
For more information on this location, please see the map below.
How to get there?Get to Mto wa Mbu by air or by road, then use a vehicle to get to the hippo pool. There is lake Manyara airstrip nearby that can be used to fly in from most regions of the country.
There also are passenger buses to the area from most regions, though the most convenient method would be using as private, rental or tours vehicle.
For more information on park fees and tariffs, please see the
TANAPA website. Tariffs for a normal self game drive usually include conservation fees, vehicle fees and possibly camping or accommodation fees.
