Arusha

Arusha National Park is located northeast of Ngorongoro Crater and, although this park is only 542 km2 (206 square miles) in size, it is an excellent spot for game viewing all year round. Because Arusha is only 50 km (30 miles) from Mount Kilimanjaro it offers some spectacular views of Africa’s largest mountain. The second largest mountain in Tanzania is found here – Mount Meru. It is an active, composite volcano with an elevation of 4566 m (14,980 ft). The landscape consists of rolling, grassy hills, coniferous forests and small craters and lakes, including the lovely Momela Lakes and the impressive Ngurdoto Crater.

This park is famous for the rare acrobatic black and white colobus monkey. Other animals found here are: blue monkeys, baboons, buffalo, dik-diks, giraffes, hippos, hyenas, klip springers, leopards, warthogs, water bucks and zebras. There are very few elephants here and the park is entirely devoid of lions.

Arusha National Park is also recommended for avid bird watchers, where colorful flamingos, trogons and big birds of preys can be seen.

This is a perfect park for outdoor enthusiasts. In addition to game drives there is also the option to do hikes, canoeing, mountain biking and even climbing Mount Meru. Mount Meru receives a very small portion of visitors as most opt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. The result is a often a private, secluded hike with hardly any other hikers around. There is only one route up the mountain – the Momela route. It starts on the eastern side of the mountain and is a steep walk up to the summit. The route can be done in three to four days and is roughly 33 km (21 miles) round trip. A climb up Mount Meru is good preparation for those who wish to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro and it will help them acclimate to the higher altitudes. Note: All hikes up Mt. Meru must be with a ranger guide.

Arusha National Park is also located only 35 km (22 miles) from Kilimanjaro International Airport, which means we can squish in one last hike/drive/ride before you head home.