Arusha National Park

Arusha National Park, located northeast of Arusha, is the most accessible national park on Tanzania’s Northern Safari Circuit, making it ideal for a day trip safari. The park is situated at the base of Mount Meru, Tanzania’s second highest peak after the famous Mount Kilimanjaro. Although small, it contains a diverse range of spectacular scenery spread across three distinct zones. To the west is Mount Meru and the Meru Crater, which feeds the Jekukumia River. To the southeast, the park includes the charming Ngurdoto Crater with its grasslands, and to the northeast, the shallow, alkaline Momella Lakes are home to a diverse range of bird species.

Arusha National Park spans 137 square kilometers (53 square miles) and includes diverse natural habitats, such as open savannah, acacia woodland, tropical rainforest, and alpine vegetation on Mount Meru.  Arusha National Park is abundant with wildlife, including herbivores such as elephants, hippos, buffalo, zebras, and the occasional wildebeest. It’s an excellent place to unwind, with game drives, walking safaris, and canoe safaris available. The park also has the world’s largest giraffe population, making it an ideal destination for visitors who enjoy spending time with these long-necked animals.

How do I get to Arusha National Park?

Arusha National Park is situated on a 300-kilometer axis that connects Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater in the west with Kilimanjaro National Park in the east. The park is located a few kilometres north of Arusha, but the main entrance is 25 kilometres east of town. It’s also 58 kilometres from Moshi and 35 kilometres from Kilimanjaro International Airport. As a result, the most convenient way to reach the park is by road, which is a 40-minute drive from Arusha and a half-hour drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport (35 kilometers from the main entrance).

Attractions in Arusha National Park?

Fauna in Arusha National Park

Arusha National Park has a high level of wildlife diversity due to its diverse terrain. Arusha National Park not only has Africa’s largest giraffe population, but it also has a diverse range of wildlife. The park also has elephants, waterbucks, Cape buffalo, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, zebras, warthogs, and duikers.

On rare occasions, lions, cheetahs, hyenas, wild dogs, and leopards can be seen if conditions are favourable. Furthermore, birding in Arusha National Park is abundant: the park is home to over 400 recorded species, including many forest species that are easier to see here than elsewhere on the tourist route, such as the Narina trogon and the band-tailed trogon. Other species to keep an eye out for in the park include flamingos, which frequently migrate from Lake Manyara, augur buzzards, Verreaux’s eagles, hammerkops, white-tailed eagles, pelicans, and hornbills, to name a few. Between November and April, the park is home to migratory birds.

Mount Meru

Mount Meru, a dormant volcano and focal point of Arusha National Park, is one of its main attractions. The mountain is the second highest in Tanzania and the fifth highest in Africa, rising to 4,566 meters (14,990 feet) and known for its towering cliffs and lush green surroundings at its base. With little ice and fog around its summit, this mountain is visible all year, unlike Mount Kilimanjaro, which appears shy and hides behind snow-capped clouds.

Despite its lower altitude than Mount Kilimanjaro, hiking requires more technical skills, making it a real challenge for climbers. Nonetheless, it is worth the discomfort to be able to see what many others cannot. The journey not only provides a breathtaking view of Kilimanjaro from the summit, but it is also a very rewarding walk through various habitats where you can see giraffes, elephants, antelopes, and other wildlife.

Ngurdoto Crater

Ngurdoto Crater is a swampy crater teeming with wildlife and a popular stopping point for game drives. The crater is home to Cape buffalo, elephants, monkeys, baboons, warthogs, and other antelope.

Momella Lakes

The Momella Lakes in Arusha National Park are another major attraction. The Momella Lakes consist of seven shallow alkaline lakes: Big Momella, Small Momella, Kusare, Lekandiro, Tulusia, Rishateni, and El Kekhotoito. The lakes are covered in algae, each with a different shade of green or blue. Although the lakes’ waters are unsafe to drink, they are excellent for canoeing, bird watching, and game viewing, with sightings of waterbucks, giraffes, zebras, hippos, and dik-diks in the vicinity. Canoe trips are available on Small Momella Lake.

Longil Lake

Lake Longil, Arusha National Park’s only freshwater lake, is a popular spot for wildlife viewing, particularly buffalo and waterbucks, among other animals.

Best Things to Do in Arusha National Park

Car safaris

In Arusha National Park, game drives, the most popular tourist activity on any African safari, take place near Momella Lakes and Ngurdoto Crater, home to a wide range of wildlife species. The abundance of animals in these areas increases the likelihood of seeing wildlife on the plains of Arusha National Park. Game drives are conducted in the early morning and late afternoon, when the wildlife is most active. Animals seen include zebra, giraffe, Cape buffalo, elephant, leopard, hippo, lion, hyena, wild dog, wildebeest, eland, duiker, and many more.

Bird watching

With over 400 recorded species, Arusha National Park provides excellent birding opportunities for Tanzanian safari visitors. Notable birds in the park include the bald eagle, Narina trogon, little grebe, great crested grebe, Egyptian goose, black saw-wing, band-tailed trogon, Hartlaub’s turaco, cinnamon-breasted bee-eater, bearded vulture, African green-collared pigeon, Verreaux’s eagle, tawny eagle, silvery-cheeked hornbill, scaled francolin, peregrine falcon, red-fronted parrot, brown pochard, augur vulture, and flaming. Experienced guides closely supervise birdwatching in Arusha National Park throughout the year, but November through April is the best time to visit the park. This is the optimal time to observe migratory birds from North Africa and Europe.

Mountain Climbing

The presence of Mount Meru provides hikers with an excellent opportunity to practise mountain climbing in Arusha National Park. Mount Meru is accessible via the Momella Lakes East Entrance and typically takes 3 to 4 days to climb. The hike provides a stunning aerial view of Arusha National Park, and the views from the summit are equally impressive, particularly the side with Mount Kilimanjaro in the distance. During the walk, you may also see wildlife.

Walking safaris

Arusha National Park is one of Tanzania’s few national parks that provides walking safaris, and walking freely among Tanzania’s animals is an unforgettable experience. Walking safaris, which take place at the foot of Mount Meru, allow you to get up close and personal with the park’s surroundings, including lush forests, lakes, waterfalls, and a large giraffe and other wildlife population. The Colobus monkey, which is frequently seen swinging in the trees, is a highlight of Arusha National Park walking safaris.

Explore Tululusia Hill.

Tululusia Hill is a popular site in Arusha National Park, owing to its historical significance as a lookout point for approaching attackers. Tululusia Hill is now one of the country’s top trekking and camping destinations. Visitors to the hill can learn about Tanzania’s history of tribal and colonial warfare. Furthermore, this area is densely forested, making it ideal for spotting wildlife such as monkeys, baboons, elephants, buffaloes, and other enchanted park residents.

What is the best time to visit Arusha National Park?

Arusha National Park is open year-round, but the best time to visit is during the dry season, which runs from June to September and December to February. This is the best time of year for wildlife viewing and other activities, and it coincides with the Great Wildebeest Migration if you intend to visit the Serengeti as well. However, between November and April is the best time to see migratory birds from Europe in Arusha National Park.