Arusha National Park

overview

Situated on the slopes of Mt. Meru, this park is only an hour drive from Arusha. Besides all the wildlife you can spot here other places to visit are the Ngurdoto Crater and the Momela Lakes. The crater has a cross-cut of 3 kilometers. You will have a spectacular view over the crater and if you are lucky you will see the animals walking inside the crater. You are not allowed to go down into the crater, because it is protected.

The Momela Lakes are a great place to spot birds. These seven freshwater lakes are situated in the north-east of the park. In October there is a great chance of seeing European birds who are escaping the cold winter. It is difficult to predict when the big group of flamingo’s land at the lakes every year, but when they do they come with thousands.

This park is also known to be one of the few places in northern Tanzania where you can spot the black- and-white Colobus monkey. Other animals in this park are; giraffes, zebras, baboons, warthogs, elephants and waterbucks. Also leopards, hyena’s and hippos have been spotted here.

About Arusha National Park

Size: 552 sq km 212 sq miles).

Location: Northern Tanzania, northeast of Arusha town.

What To Do?

Forest walks, numerous picnic sites;

Three- or four-day Mt Meru climb – good acclimatisation for Kilimanjaro.

Accommodation

Two lodges, two rest houses, campsites, two mountain huts inside the park; more lodges at USA River outside the park and many hotels and hostels in Arusha town.

Getting There

An easy 40-minute drive from Arusha. Approximately 60 km (35 miles) from Kilimanjaro International Airport. The lakes, forest and Ngurdoto Crater can all be visited in the course of a half-day outing at the beginning or end of an extended northern safari.

NOTE: Mountain Climbing Permits duration time is 12 HOURS.

When To Go?

Dry season (July-October) for large mammals;

Wet season (November-June) for bird watching, the waterfalls and canoeing

Other Related Destinations

Serengeti National Park

 

Serengeti is the biggest National Park of Tanzania and even listed on the World Heritage List of Unesco. 

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

 

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) is actually part of the Serengeti plains to which the Maasai Mara (Kenya) also belongs to.

Tarangire National Park

 

This park attracts a great amount of animals because it contains an important water source, the Tarangire river. 

Lake Manyara National Park

 

Only one third of this national park is land, the rest is swamp or water. The area has a size of 325km² 

Arusha National Park

 

Situated on the slopes of Mt. Meru, this park is only an hour drive from Arusha. Besides all the wildlife.