Arusha National Park

Arusha National Park which is situated along the Northern Safari Circuit in Tanzania occupies an area of about 137 sq. km and although it is not as big as other national parks, it is among the most stunning national parks in the country. It is located about 37km from Arusha town and is highly sought after for day trips. Established in 1960, the park has four remarkable features that is: the rugged Mountain Meru (standing at 4575 m above sea level), Momela Lakes, the Ngurdoto Crater plus the Momela Lakes. Mount Kilimanjaro which is the highest mountains in Africa standing at a height of 5895m is found to the east of Arusha National Park can be seen from various points inside the park. What makes Arusha stand out from other national parks is the rare chance to integrate a nature walk with game drives. When you reach a number of places, you can get out of your safari car and take a walk.

Wildlife in Arusha National Park

The animals that you will come across when visiting Arusha National Park include giraffes, hippos, black and white colobus monkeys, elephants, occasionally leopards, the Vervet monkeys, hippos, bushbucks, the red forest duikers as well as buffaloes. The park has documented about 400 species of birds such as the Eurasian migrants that can be observed during October and April.

How to get to Arusha National Park

Arusha National Park is only a 40 minute trip from Arusha Town. It is about 35 miles (60km) from Kilimanjaro International Airport. You can get to explore the Ngurdoto Crater, the lakes and forest in only half a day at the start or end of a longer northern safari. This park can easily be combined to the more famous Serengeti National Park as well as the Ngorongoro Crater

Best time to go to Arusha National Park

the park can best be visited during the dry season from June to November especially for game viewing however because there are various activities you can engage in here the best time to visit will be determined by what activities you are going to do. The best time to climb Mount Meru is during the months from June to February however you may experience some rain if you climb in November. The most stunning views of Kilimanjaro are during December to February

Major Attractions and Activities in Arusha National Park

You can get to see all the attractions of Arusha National Park in just one day in addition to it being

Walking Safaris

Unique about Arusha National park is that it is the sole park within the northern circuit in Tanzania that offers the unique opportunity for walking safaris.

Bird watching in Arusha National Park

It is also rich in birdlife with more than 400 bird species documented in the park and is an ideal place for birders to observe a diversity of birds. Some of the

commonly seen species in this park include the grey parrot, herons, little grebes, secretary bird, eagles, pochards, woodpecker, geese, spurwinged goose, hamerkop as well as red shark.

Game Viewing

As a result as the diverse topography that characterizes Arusha National Park, there is a unique concentration of a variety of different wildlife. the Park is home to the biggest number of giraffes living in Africa however while there, you will come across other animals and primates like the black and white colobus monkeys, elephants, trogons, water bucks, turacos, cape buffalo, blue monkeys, as well as leopards or lions during the appropriate season.

Hiking Mountain Meru

Hiking Mountain Meru or exploring the smaller tracks that cut through the lower slopes of the mountain is a commonly loved activity by tourists to Arusha National Park. The hike to the peak of the crater is commonly done in a 3 Days Mt. Meru Tour and according to the testimonies of some people who have made it to the peak, its said that this hike is way more tasking than reaching the peak of Mountain Kilimanjaro which is not situated far away from here. Across the lower slopes, the trails to the waterfalls as well as the rivers provide a serene day climb for tourists who prefer not to try the relatively difficult hike.

Game drives in Ngurdoto Crater

Ngurdoto is a marshy crater that is a home to a diversity of wild animals in addition to being a favored spot for game drives. Tourists will be able to view a variety of animals including warthogs, monkeys, Cape buffalo, numerous species of antelope, elephants as well as baboons. This crater is encircled by Ndurgoto forest, a shady stretch which is inhabited by mischievous black and white colobus monkeys.

Canoe Rides on the Momella Lakes

The only lake suitable for canoeing among the Momella lakes is the Small Momella.

Arusha National Park’s Momella Lakes found inside the park are a sequence of seven (7) shallow lakes. They are alkaline lakes with a significant amount of algae growth and every lake has a varying shade of blue or green they include: Kusare, El Kekhotoito, Big Momella, Tulusia, Rishateni, Small Momella plus Lekandiro. Whereas the water in these lakes cannot be consumed, you can get to observe a diversity of birds such as the flamingoes as well as animals including zebras, waterbucks, dik-diks plus giraffes in the neighboring places.

Visit the Ngurdoto Museum

The Ngurdoto Museum overlooks the Ngurdoto Forest (that has a high concentration of black and white colobus monkeys), an it offers a great display of monumental displays of most of the wild animals, insects as well as birds that reside in Arusha National Park.

Hike Tululusia Hill

Tululusia Hill was previously used as a watchtower when there were internal conflicts from Tanzania’s post. Currently, it is a well known hiking as well as camping area that provides visitors with a magnificent view of the lower areas including Mountain Kilimanjaro, Arusha National Park plus Mountain Meru. This area has dense forests and it inhabits colobus monkeys, leopards, elephants, the red duiker, some tree dwelling pythons, buffaloes, leopards as well as suni.

Visit Lake Longil

This is the sole fresh water lake situated in the park. it is a good place to see the large numbers of buffaloes plus waterbucks that gather around the lake to quench their thirst.

Where to Stay | Accommodation in Arusha National Park

There are campsites, two lodges including the beautiful Hatari Lodge, two mountain huts as well as two rest houses within Arusha National Park. There are a number of lodging facilities at Usa River as well as numerous hotels plus hostels in Arusha town like Mount Meru Hotel and Arusha Serena Hotel, Resort & Spa.