Arusha National Park is only a short drive from Arusha Town, and it is located in the same region. Arusha National Park is the most open national park on Tanzania’s Northern Circuit and is the perfect place for a road trip or as the starting point or next stop on a longer itinerary. Arusha National Park is a small park with a lot to see, at only 552 square kilometers in size.
Three locations make up Arusha National Park: Momella Lakes, Mount Meru, and the Ngurdoto Crater. Depending on the time of year, you may see a significant number of flamingos in Momella Lakes as they migrate between Lake Manyara and this area. Arusha National Park boasts a diverse landscape that ranges from open grassland to acacia scrubland to rainforest to, ultimately, snowcapped conditions on the higher peaks of Mt. Meru. Due to its location at the base of Mount Meru, the little sibling of Mt Kilimanjaro, Arusha National Park is an intriguing place to visit for both safari enthusiasts and mountain climbers.
Attractions in Arusha national park
Wildlife
One of the reasons tourists actually do choose Arusha National Park as one to visit when on a northern Tanzania wildlife safari is the park’s abundance of animals. When on a wild game drive or strolling safari at Arusha National Park, visitors may spot a variety of animal species, including bison, giraffes, zebras, hippos, warthogs, waterbucks, dik-diks, reedbucks, elephants, red duikers, shrub pigs, and high contrast colobus monkeys, among others. Along Mount Meru’s slopes, huge cats like spotted hyenas and panthers may be found. Arusha National Park’s wooded regions are home to a variety of primates, such as blue and highly contrasted colobus monkeys. The little savannah area known as Serengeti Ndogo, which roughly translates to “Little Serengeti,” is home to herds of zebras, giraffes, and bison.
Ngurdoto Crater
The Ngurdoto crater, a 3-kilometer-long steep-sided bowl surrounded by riverine forest and a lush bog on the hole floor, is another popular site in the Arusha National Park. The hole is home to a wide variety of animals, including elephants, African bison, different monkeys, mandrills, and birds like hamerkop, prod winged geese, herons, and others.
Mount Meru
One of the major attractions in the park is Mount Meru, which frames a portion of Arusha National Park and is ranked as Tanzania’s second-most significant peak and the fifth-most significant mountain in all of Africa. Mount Meru, which boasts beautiful mountain climbing safaris, features emphasized slants and a summit cone with a symmetric caldera.
Birdlife
More than 400 different bird species may be found in the Arusha National Park, which is permanently home to a variety of bird species. The park is covered in a variety of flora, including woodlands and lush savannah areas. African Dusky Flycatcher, Spotted Flycatcher, African Gray Flycatcher, White-peered toward Slaty-Flycatcher, Cape Robin-Chat, Red-charged Fire finch, African Fire finch, Quail finch, Red-headed Weaver, Baglafecht Weaver, Spectacled Weaver, nabbed Sunbird, Olive Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, and Tave The Eastern Mountain Greenbul, Stripe-cheeked Greenbul, Yellow-bellied Greenbul, Hunter’s Cisticola, Rattling Cisticola, Winding Cisticola, Siffling Cisticola, and a few more. Violet-upheld Starling, Red-winged Starling, Waller’s Starling.
Momella lakes
The Momela lakes in Arush Park are shallow, soluble bodies of water made up of seven smaller lakes and one larger Momela. Little Momela, El Kekhotoito, Kusare, Rishateni, Lekandiro, and Tulusia are all included in the Momela lakes. These lakes attract a large number of birds and animals to their borders, but because they are soluble lakes, the animals don’t drink the water.
Activities in Arusha national park
Wildlife viewing
Arusha National Park offers amazing game drives for spotting wildlife. The park is a permanent home to certain animals, and it includes wonderful views of Mount Meru, the Ngurdoto Cavern, and the Momela Lakes. You may observe a variety of animals on game drives at Arusha National Park, including giraffes, shy red duiker, Kirk’s dik, panthers, which are seldom seen, cape bison, zebras, warthogs, blue monkeys, high contrast colobus monkeys, and many others.
Kayak safaris
Kayak safaris in Arusha National Park are an utterly thrilling activity performed on serene Lake Momella; this movement is completed in a length of 2-3 hours and it is an amazing retreat for taking part in the calm waters of the lake, viewing numerous wildlife, such as bramble bucks, giraffes, hippopotamuses, and many birds at the shores of the lake, such as the African fish hawk, African olive pigeon, Augur scavanger, etc. Egyptian goose, Great peaked grebe, Hartlaub’s turaco, tiny grebe, Narina trogon, Peregrine bird of prey, Bearded vulture, Black saw-wing, Cinnamon-chested honey bee eater, Verreaux’s bird, the Red-fronted parrot, the Scaly francolin, the Silvery-cheeked hornbill, the Southern Pochard, and others
Bird watching in Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park is one of the most spectacular places to enjoy bird watching activities in Tanzania, home to more than 400 different bird species. Arusha National Park is home to a wide variety of birds, including the stunning pink flamingos.
Climbing Mount Meru
Explorers who really attempt to conquer Mount Meru are treated to remarkable climbing and trekking experiences. Mount Meru is Tanzania’s second-highest peak at 4566 meters above sea level, behind the legendary Kilimanjaro, which daring travelers may scale for an experience. The ascent of Mount Meru is best completed under the guidance of guides, and you can find watchmen to assist you as you ascend.
Getting to Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park is located near the north-east of the city of Arusha, about 25 kilometers from the main entrance. As a result, both air and road may be used to reach the park.
By air: There are two airports in Arusha city, Kilimanjaro International Airport, which handles international flights, and Arusha Municipal Airport, which is located on the city’s edge and handles local flights to Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. Domestic flights from Arusha town to Arusha National Park are provided by Air Viva and other airlines.
By Road: It takes only 40 minutes to drive from Arusha, which is only 35 kilometers away, to the Arusha National Park. The Park is around 58 kilometres from Moshi and 35 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport, and it is close to the Kenyan border.
Best time to visit Arusha national park
All seasons are suitable for visiting Arusha National Park. Nevertheless, the dry season, which lasts from June to October, is the greatest time to visit the park.
The national park’s grasses are thinner from June to October, making it easier to view the many types of natural life as they wander around. During the dry season, the park’s natural life species are also known to congregate near its water sources.