Arusha National Park
''A Rewarding Hiking Destination''
Welcome to Arusha National Park
A map showing Arusha National Park
This beautiful Park has often been called a "little germ" 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 5rd highest free standing mountain in Africa.
This second highest mountain in Tanzania offers unforgettable experience and serves as acclimatization refuge before climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Climate
The Park can be visited throughout the year; however the best time is between June to September and from December to early March. The short rainy period is from October to November and the heavy rain season is from March to May with annual average rainfall ranging from ….. to ….. mm. The park is located at an altitude between 1,700 and 4566 meters.
Game drive
Getting there
The Park can be accessed by road or air.
By Road: From Arusha town to Ngongongare gate, it is about 32 km.
By Air: It is about 40 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Attractions
The Park is gifted with variety of attractions ranging from wildlife inhabiting the wilderness to craters and mountain peaks.
Serengeti Ndogo
The name which means "Little Serengeti", describes the open grassland, a place in the park where various animals in large numbers can easily be seen such as buffaloes, warthogs zebras, waterbucks, giraffes, etc.
Tourists enjoying walking at Serengeti ndogo
Buffaloes doing mock combat at Serengeti ndogo
Buffaloes at Little Serengeti
Wildlife
Black and white colubus monkey
Arusha National Park is a home for these acrobatic Black and White Colobus Monkey. These species contributes into visitors experience during the Park visit because they can easily be spotted. Other animals includes Buffalos, Warthogs and Giraffes
Black and White Colobus Monkey (Colobus guereza)
Giraffe (Giraffe Camelopardalis)
Blue Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis)
Mount Meru
The park holds a second highest mountain in Tanzania providing a good chance of exploring mountainous habitats inhabited with different animal and plants species which are differently from those found in lowland.
Tourists hiking Mount Meru
A nice view of Mount Meru ash cone
A View of Mt. Kilimanjaro from Arusha National Park
A combination of wildlife and the mountain
Ngurdoto and Meru Craters
This pear-shape Ngurdoto resembling just like a miniature of Ngorongoro crater comprises of five viewing points of mikindu, the Rock, Buffalo, the glade and Leitong being the highest point. From this point the snowy peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro, Momella lakes and lower slope with human settlement can be easily seen
A view of kilimanjaro from Ngurudoto Crater
A Giraffe sighted along the crater rim
Meru crater
Birds
(Lesser and greater flamingos in Momela Lakes)
The famous Momela lakes provide home and important feeding ground for both Lesser and greater flamingos. It one of the important site to visit for bird watchers.
Flamingos at Momella lakes
Ledser Flamingoes (Phoeniconaias minor) at the shores of the Momella lake
Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)
Tululusia Hill and waterfall
Tululusia hill meaning “lookout point” is a view point that provides an excellent view of the lower areas of Arusha National Park, Mount Meru and the majestic Kilimanjaro.
Tululusia Waterfall found on a narrow sided valley formed as a result of erosion of a soft volcanic soil leaving behind a steep gorge with the height of 28m (84ft). It’s a home of nesting Red-winged Starlings and having a chance of getting your photos around this natural environment are usually spectacular!
Tourists enjoying a view of Tululusia waterfall
Lake Longil and Momella lakes
Lake Longil is the only fresh water lake in the park, inhabited with Tilapia fish and also there are Papyrus and Mace reed floating as Islands and changes their positions following the wind directions
The Momella Lakes with different mineral contents supports a different type of algae growth and this gives each lake a different color
Momella lakes
Fig Tree Arch
A striking feature of the Fig Tree Arch (Ficus thoningii) with its roots reaching the ground while leaving behind an arch enough for a car to drive through.
Fig Tree
Ngarenanyuki River (Engare Nanyokie)
This river originating from the montane forest and meru crater contains a brackish resulting from brown/alkaline water sources from the streams which joins the main river outside the park.
Activities
Arusha National Park is the Park of multi activities; These activities includes game drives, short walking safari, long walking safariNational Park is a park of multi tourists activities; These includes Game Drives (GD), Short Walking Safaris (SWS), Long Walking Safaris (LWS), Canoeing, Mountain Climbing (MC), Horse Riding (HR) and Cycling.
Mountain hiking
This is a 2 night 3 day adventure using the mountain huts Miriakamba and Saddle huts. It has to be prearranged at the Momella Gate 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.
Tourists hiking Mount Meru
Mount Meru trekking
Summiting the socialist peak, 4566m
Walking Safari
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 2 Gates. A fee is payable and any walk has to be accompanied by an armed Ranger.
Walking experience in Arusha National Park
Giraffe sighting during walking safari in the Park
Tourists enjoying walking in Arusha National Park
Canoeing
Canoeing is possible by prior arrangement on Small Momella Lake, with buffao, giraffe, bushbuck, water buck and hippo often seen. Wading and water birds are of course common.
Game viewing while canoeing in Momela Lakes.
Flamingos coloring Momela lakes
Horseback riding
Horseback trails have been established and can be combined with overnight stays in camps within the Park (but not the horses). By prior arrangement.
Tourists enjoying game viewing on Horseback
Horseback Riders enjoying giraffe sighting
Tourists enjoying Horseback riding in the Park
A unique experience riding back of the Horse
Game drive
Game drives are possible on a well maintained network of roads and tracks. It is an experience that tourists can get in a day game drive from Arusha Town.
Tourists enjoying a shade under Fig tree
A view of Mount Kilimanjaro from Arusha National Park
Blue Monkeys can also be spotted easily during Game drives
Giraffes are easily spotted in Arusha
Bird watching
The Park has more than 450 birds species including both resident and migratory birds. At Small Momella and Longil lakes, both water and non-water birds can be easily sighted.
Egyptians goose on mock combat
Lesser flamingos on flying posture
Lesser and greater flamingos
Gray headed king fisher
Little bee eater
Crested crane
Lapwing plover
Accommodations
There is one seasonal camp in the Mount Meru forest, and other special 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 in Arusha itself.
Special campsites
Itikoni is one of the special campsite located on the northern part of the Park. Booking is mandatory through booking@tanzaniaparks.go.tz
Ngongongare Special Campsites
This is another special campsite located on the southern part of the Park.
Tourists enjoying being close to nature
A special campsite experience in the Park
Public campsites
This is a kind of accommodation type that has facilities and services such as Kitchen, bathroom, toilet, store and water services. Prior booking is not required for the public camping.
Visitors enjoying their stay at the campsites
Rest house
It is a facility owned and operated by the Park. Prior booking is mandatory to confirm availability of the services. While at the Momela rest house a tourist can still view birds and animals of different species i,e.
A horn bill spotted near the rest house
A baboon sighting from Momela rest house
Miriakamba Hut
It is one of the stopover point that tourists spend a night during ascending Mount Meru.
Saddle hut
It is also an accommodation owned and operated by the Park serving the tourists who are ascending and descending during Mount Meru challenging.
Arusha Tourist Guiding Map
Visit Arusha National Park
Support work of Arusha National Park by visiting the park and see the wildlife that calls this place home. Visiting Parks help support local livelihoods and help protect wildlife for generations to come
Learn more about the work of Tanzania National Parks which protect and manage wildlife situated in areas designated as a National Parks.
Photos by @TimLaman. Black-and-White Colobus.
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