Lake Manyara National Park is famous for its tree-climbing lions, who spend most of the day spread out along the branches of Acacia trees six to seven metres above the ground.  Nestled at the base of the Great Rift Valley escarpment, the park is noted for its incredible beauty.  As visitors enter the gate, they pass into the lush forest, home to troops of baboons and both blue and vervet monkeys.  Further along, the forest opens up into woodlands, grassland, swamps and beyond the soda lake itself, covering 200 square kilometres and sanctuary to over 400 species of bird including flamingo, pelican, stork, sacred ibis, cormorant and Egyptian Geese.  The park is particularly noted for its huge herds of buffalo and elephant, as well as giraffe, hippo, reedbuck, warthog, wildebeest, zebra and a great variety of smaller animals.