Tanzania's Hidden Safari Gem

Just a short drive from Arusha town – northern Tanzania’s safari capital – Arusha National Park is a multi-faceted jewel, often overlooked by travellers, despite offering an incredible diversity of landscapes and wildlife in just a few hours’ exploration.

Wildlife and Forest Adventures

The park’s entrance leads into a shady montane forest, home to playful and inquisitive blue monkeys, colourful turacos, elegant and trogons. This is the only place on the northern safari circuit where the striking black-and-white colobus monkey is easily spotted. In the midst of the forest lies the Ngurdoto Crater, a spectacular amphitheatre of steep cliffs encircling a marshy floor where buffalo and warthogs graze.

The Beauty of Momela Lakes

Further north, rolling grassy hills enclose the serene Momela Lakes, each shimmering in a unique shade of green or blue. Their shallows often blush pink with thousands of flamingos, while a variety of waterbirds thrive here year-round. Along the lakes shores, waterbucks display their curved horns, giraffes stride gracefully across the grasslands, and zebra mingle with the tiny, quick-moving dik-dik antelope.

Big Game and Predators

While elephants are uncommon and lions are absent in Arusha National Park, leopards and spotted hyenas may be glimpsed in the quiet hours of dawn or dusk. These times also offer the best chances to see the snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro rising on the horizon, just 50 km (30 miles) away.

Mount Meru – Kilimanjaro’s Scenic Neighbour

Dominating the park’s skylines, Mount Meru is Africa’s fifth-highest peak at 4,566 metres (14,990 feet). Protected within the park, its slopes offer one of the most rewarding hiking experiences in Tanzania. The climb passes through wooded savannah alive with buffalo and giraffe, into forests draped with beautiful red-hot pokers and giant lobelias. The alpine desert blooms with everlasting flowers, and sure-footed klipspringer antelopes leap across the rocks. At the summit, Kilimanjaro appears in full view, glowing in the sunrise alongside the majestic landscape of Tanzania.

Quick Facts – Arusha National Park

Location: 40-50 minutes’ drive from Arusha Town

Size: 552 sq km (213 sq miles)

Park Highlights

• Ngurdoto Crater
• Momela Lakes
• Black-and-white colobus monkeys
• Mount Meru trekking
• Flamingos, giraffes, and waterbucks

Activities

• Game drives
• Walking safaris
• Canoeing on Momela Lakes
• Birdwatching
• Guided Mount Meru climbs