Highlights

Arusha National Park is a remarkable destination known for its diverse ecosystems and breathtaking views of Mount Meru, the volcanic mountain that dominates the park’s landscape. Despite being one of Tanzania’s smaller national parks, it offers an impressive variety of scenery and wildlife within a compact area.

The park is a popular choice for day trips, especially for travelers beginning or ending a northern safari adventure from Arusha. Within the park are the slopes, summit, and ash cone of Mount Meru, along with the beautiful Momela Lakes, the famous Ngurdoto Crater, and dense montane forests covering the lower mountain slopes. Wildlife viewing around the Momela Lakes is peaceful and relaxed, while the forested areas provide excellent opportunities to spot rare black-and-white colobus monkeys moving through the treetops.

Located only a short drive from both Arusha and Moshi, Arusha National Park is one of the most accessible parks in Tanzania. It serves as an excellent introduction to Tanzania’s natural beauty and also combines perfectly with longer northern circuit safaris to destinations such as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park.

The park features a wide range of habitats, including open savannah, rainforest, acacia woodland, and alpine vegetation found on the higher slopes of Mount Meru. Although it covers just over 200 square miles, the park supports high wildlife densities and is famous for having one of the largest populations of giraffes in the world.

Visitors may encounter black-and-white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys, red forest duikers, hippos, elephants, buffaloes, bushbucks, and giraffes. Leopards are present but rarely seen. The park is also a paradise for bird enthusiasts, with more than 400 bird species recorded throughout the area.

Because of its relatively small size, the park can easily be explored within a single day, making it an ideal standalone excursion or an excellent addition to longer safari itineraries.

Ngurdoto Crater

Ngurdoto Crater is a volcanic crater located within the park and is often referred to as the “Little Ngorongoro.” The crater is approximately 3.6 kilometers wide and about 100 meters deep, with steep walls covered in thick rainforest. The crater floor is dominated by marshy grasslands that provide habitat for buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, antelopes, baboons, monkeys, spotted hyenas, and occasionally leopards.

The surrounding forests are home to blue monkeys and baboons, which spend much of their time on the ground before retreating to the trees at night or when threatened. The area is also rich in birdlife, including species such as herons, hammerkop birds, and spur-winged geese.

Mount Meru

Mount Meru is an active stratovolcano and the centerpiece of Arusha National Park. Standing at 4,566 meters (14,979 feet), it is the second-highest mountain in Tanzania and the sixth-highest mountain in Africa. Although often overshadowed by nearby Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru offers spectacular scenery, dramatic cliffs, and a rewarding trekking experience.

The mountain last erupted in 1910 and today attracts climbers seeking a more challenging alternative to Kilimanjaro. Climbing Mount Meru generally takes 3 to 4 days and is ideal for travelers interested in high-altitude trekking before or after a safari adventure. Its routes are steeper and more demanding than many Kilimanjaro routes, making previous hiking or climbing experience beneficial.

Momela Lakes

Momella Lakes are a collection of seven shallow alkaline lakes that add to the park’s scenic beauty. The lakes include Big Momela, Small Momela, El Kekhotoito, Kusare, Rishateni, Lekandiro, and Tulusia. Each lake receives water from different underground sources, resulting in varying mineral and algae content.

Because of these natural differences, the lakes display distinct colors and support a rich variety of birdlife. The Momela Lakes are especially famous for attracting numerous water birds and contribute significantly to the park’s impressive total of more than 400 bird species.