Lake Manyara · Tortilis Camps
Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp
A row of canvas tents at the foot of the Rift Valley escarpment, looking out over Lake Manyara. One of only three camps allowed to stay overnight inside the park.
Plan a safari with this lodge- Area
- Lake Manyara, inside the national park
- Style
- Tented camp
- Tents
- Single, double or twin, and triple
- Meals on our safaris
- Full board
- Setting
- Foot of the Rift Valley escarpment, lake views
- Run by
- Tortilis Camps
Most Lake Manyara trips are a half-day drive on the way somewhere else, with the night spent up the escarpment in Karatu or Mto wa Mbu. This camp lets you sleep inside the park instead. Canvas tents under a forested escarpment, the lake below, and the park around you after the day visitors leave.
It is a simple, comfortable tented camp, not a lodge. No pool, no spa. What you get is the location: a park most people pass through, seen at dusk and dawn.
What it's like
The tents sit in a row under one long canvas roof, each fully furnished with its own front area for watching game, set up with a sofa and a chair. Behind them the escarpment rises in forest. In front, open grass and acacia run down towards the lake.
Evenings centre on the fire pit and the lounge. Meals are full board. The camp can also set up a private bush lunch with a view of the lake, or a private breakfast, lunch or dinner under an umbrella acacia, the tree the camp is named after.
The camp runs guided walks, which is a different way to see the park: hippos and elephants on foot rather than from a vehicle. The park's soda lake draws flamingos, and the camp counts more than 90 bird species, including storks, pelicans, hornbills and kingfishers.
Getting there
Times are to the main gate. The camp is inside the park, so add the drive from the gate to camp, which we usually run as a game drive. The camp gives Arusha to camp as about 2.5 hours by road. Scheduled flights also land at Manyara airstrip from Arusha.
Park fees
The camp sits inside Lake Manyara National Park on a special campsite. Every night here carries the park's special campsite fee on top of the daily entry permit, which is a different fee from the hotel concession charged at the lodges. Both go into our quotes as separate lines, paid straight to the park authority. Current figures are on our park fees page. See Tanzania park fees.
Who it suits
A good fit for
- Seeing Lake Manyara properly, at dawn and dusk, instead of on a quick pass
- Travellers who want canvas and a campfire over a big hotel
- Splitting the drive between Tarangire and the Ngorongoro highlands
Look elsewhere for
- Anyone who wants a pool or solid walls. For those, we use a lodge on the escarpment.
- Families with children under 12 who want their own tent. The camp does not let under-12s sleep alone in a tent.
- Long stays. Lake Manyara is a small park, and one night is usually right.
When to go
Lake Manyara works in every month. The camp names June to October as the busiest months, but the park has no bad season. The lake rises and falls with the rains, and with it the flamingos, so we never promise a flamingo count. The park's draw is the variety packed into a small space: forest, open grass and the lake.
Common questions
Is Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp inside the national park?
Yes. It is one of only three camps allowed to stay overnight inside Lake Manyara National Park. Park entry and the special campsite fee both apply for each night.
Does Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp have a swimming pool?
No. It is a tented camp. If a pool matters, we pair Manyara with a lodge that has one.
Can you do a walking safari from the camp?
Yes. The camp runs guided walks, with the chance to get close to hippos and elephants on foot. We add it to the day plan when you book.
How much does a safari with Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp cost?
It depends on your dates, tent type and the rest of the route. We can quote the stay on its own or as part of a full safari quote with the vehicle, guide and park fees included. Send us your dates and we will cost it properly.
Other places to stay in Lake Manyara
Lake Manyara Serena Safari Lodge, Lake Manyara Wildlife Lodge, Manyara Baobab Lodge.
See all lodges and campsSources and Maintenance
Where these figures come from
Fees, rules and official guidance can change at short notice. Every figure on this page is checked against a primary source on the date below and rechecked on a regular schedule.
- Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp, official website (setting, tents, meals, walks, birds) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Tortilis Camps FAQ (overnight camps inside the park, road and air access) (checked 22 October 2026)
- Photos supplied by Tortilis Camps for marketing use
- Saleh Safaris route and drive-time notes (operator observation) (drive times are ranges, conditions vary)
Saleh Safaris is an independent safari operator based in Arusha. This is our own guide to Lake Manyara Tortilis Camp, not the lodge's official website.