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Travel Guide

Don’t be fooled by the fact that Arusha National Park is small (552 km2). Within its borders, it has a diverse topography and wonderful wildlife. From the rugged peaks of Mount Meru to the marshy depths of the Ngurdoto Crater where warthog wallows, to monkey-filled montane forest and rolling grassy hills on which giraffe and zebra graze, there’s plenty to see here.

 HIGHLIGHTS

  • An easy 40-minute drive from Arusha
  • Diverse fauna and flora
  • Montane forest filled with monkeys, including the rare Colobus monkey
  • On a clear day, spectacular views of both Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro
  • Mount Meru, which can be climbed (a 4-day, guided hike)
  • The beautifully-colored alkaline Momela Lakes
  • Great viewpoints and picnic sites
  • Guided walking tours
  • Canoeing
  • Prolific birdlife

While the Arusha National Park doesn’t have the Big Five except for buffalo, it offers visitors spectacular scenery and sightings of a wide range of animals including monkeys, giraffes, zebra, and the sweetest antelopes on earth, the dik-dik. Add to that commanding views of Mount Meru, and Kilimanjaro on a clear day, it’s the perfect place to start your African safari.

In its many forested areas, it may be more difficult to spot wildlife, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!

Mount Meru

Arusha National Park includes Tanzania’s second-highest mountain, Mount Meru, with its rugged peaks and wooded foothills. Buffalo and giraffe can be seen here and, if you’re very lucky, the elusive leopard.

Rain forest

The main gate to the park opens into the magical montane rain forest. This emerald area is a playground for a wide range of monkeys that you may not see anywhere else, including the black-and-white Colobus and blue monkey. Look out, too, in the shadows beneath the trees for tiny duiker and dik-dik.

Ngurdoto Crater

An old volcano in the east of the park, Ngurdoto Crater stretches 3 km across and has steep sides and grassland and marsh in its bowl. There are a number of great viewpoints around its rim where you can stop to watch the warthog and buffalo grazing and wallowing below.

Momela Lakes

Seven alkaline lakes are found in the northeast of the park, each a different, brilliant color, due to the algae that grow in them. Many water birds live there including, depending on the time of year, flocks of flamboyantly-pink flamingos.

Getting there

Arusha National Park is an easy 40-minute drive from Arusha (25 km to the main gate), and about a half-hour from Kilimanjaro International Airport (35 km to the main gate). Due to the small size of the park, all three main areas can be seen in a half-day trip, but a full day with a picnic lunch and a guided walk is a far more relaxed way to do it!

Tours & Safari

Arusha National Park has a number of adventure safari options that make it worthwhile spending the night.

Talk to us about your preferences, wishlist, and budget and we’ll be happy to recommend the perfect stay for you.

Accommodation

Arusha National Park has a number of adventure safari options that make it worthwhile spending the night.

Talk to us about your preferences, wishlist, and budget and we’ll be happy to recommend the perfect stay for you.