Arusha National Park
This beautiful Park has often been called a
little gem and rightly so. It is only ½ an hour
by tarmac road from Arusha town, the safari
center of northern Tanzania. With mountains,
valleys, lakes, and small plains clothed in green,
it has a wonderful feeling of peace and solitude.
It is dominated by Mount Meru, which at 4,566
m (14,980 ft) is the 3rd highest free standing
mountain in Africa.
Getting around
A well maintained and signposted network of game
viewing roads and tracks wind through the Park offering
frequent views of spectacular beauty, with both Mount
Meru and Kilimanjaro often in sight.
Wildlife
It is habitat for a wide variety of mammals including
bushbuck, giraffe, elephant, leopard (rarely seen!),
monkeys, duiker, baboon, buffalo, waterbuck and
hippo. The birdlife is spectacular with over 450 species
recorded. The game viewing track that winds around
the Momella Lakes is a great way to get close to and
watch lesser and greater flamingo.
Arusha National Park is probably the best place in
Tanzania to watch black and white colobus monkeys,
and also to listen to their loud and guttural territorial
calls echoing through the forests.
Mount Meru
Mt. Meru is a dormant volcano about 1 ½ million years
old. One side of exploded out about 8,000 years ago as
Meru’s caldera lake was transformed into super-heated
steam by an inner eruption. One of the largest landslides
of mud and rock ever measured worldwide took place,
forming hillocks, valleys and small lakes. The geologists
estimate that before Mount Meru blew its top it was a
tall, symmetrical volcanic spire almost as high as Mount
Kilimanjaro.
This interesting and broken terrain is now clad in patches
of forest and bush at the lower end and pristine rain
forest on the upper slopes.
Ngurdoto Crater
At the bottom end of the Park is another small, but
complete, volcanic crater called Ngurdoto, which has
recently been opened to guided hikes. It is a secret
paradise, with a lake on one side and elsewhere clothed
in virgin forest and a network of open grassy glades.
A track follows the rim with look-out points established
where one can relax with a picnic and look down into
this secret world of swamps and plains and spot buffalo,
warthog and occasional elephant enjoying its tranquility.
Activities
Game drives are possible all year round on a well-
maintained network of roads and tracks.
Walking. Arusha National Park is a great place for
walking, and a place where one can enjoy natural
forests in comfort because of the cool climate.
Hiking has to be arranged at one of the two
gates. A fee is payable on line and any walk has
to be accompanied by an armed Ranger.
Mountain hike. This is a nights 4 days adventure using
the mountain huts Miriakamba and Saddle huts.
It has to be prearranged by local tour operator
requiring porters and an armed Ranger escort.
The hike traverses several vegetation zones
including beautiful montane forests. Expect to
see wildlife en route including buffalo, giraffe,
monkeys, baboons, antelope and lots of birds.
Canoeing. Canoeing is possible by prior arrangement
on Small Momella Lake, with buffalo, giraffe,
bushbuck, water buck and hippo often seen.
Wading and water birds are of course common.
Horseback. Horseback treks can be combined with
overnight stays in camps within the Park (but
not the horses). Riding on horses through the
cool forests and glades of the Park is a beautiful
way to enjoy the sights, sounds and scents of
these wild places without the noise of vehicles.
Wild animals quickly habituate to being close
to horses. These treks are led by experienced
guides who are careful about guest safety. This
activity needs prior arrangement with the tour
operator, and every guest will be expected to
show an ability to ride horses
Getting there
Arusha town is only ½ an hour away on a tarmac road.
Accommodation
There are special and public campsites, as well as
seasonal campsites that can be booked for travelers
or companies with their own camps. There are huts for
climbers of Mount Meru to use.
Hotels and lodges for visitors to use are also sited outside
the Park, and of course inside and outside Arusha itself.
Safari Ideas
Being so close to, and between Arusha city and
Kilimanjaro International Airport, Arusha National Park
can feature at the start of your safari using one of the
small lodges or camps that are just outside the Park.
However, it is also a wonderful way to end a safari
because its green tranquility and cool climate are a
perfect antidote to an often hot and dusty main safari.