Arusha National Park

Arusha National Park is the ideal starting point for the magnificent itinerary that will lead to the discovery of Africa’s distinctive fauna and flora and the search for the big five (as the 5 animals that cannot be missed on a photographic safari are called: elephant, rhinoceros, buffalo, lion and leopard). The park is named after the nearby city of Arusha, the country’s second largest city.

Although one of the smallest parks in Tanzania, Arusha National Park is definitely worth a visit for its beauty and variety of landscapes, ranging from mountain rainforest to freshwater and soda lakes, from forested savannah where acacias predominate to lowland and mountain grasslands.

The elevation of the park area varies from 1500 meters to over 4500 meters, creating great biodiversity and ideal habitat for a large number of animal species.
The park can be visited entirely by jeep, except for the ascent to Mount Meru, which requires a trek of at least three to four days.
Mount Meru is located in the center of the park, is the second highest peak in Tanzania at 4566 meters, and is covered by lush rainforest at its base, above which the bare rock summit stands out.

Mount Meru in Arusha Park

Mount Meru is an ancient volcanic cone, now inactive, which in ancient times represented the highest peak in Tanzania; however, following numerous explosions and eruptions it lost some of its mass and elevation, leaving Mount Kilimanjaro holding the record. The beauty of the landscapes remains intact and varied, with giant bamboo forests covering it up to about 3,000 meters, from where green flower meadows with a fauna consisting of buffalo, antelope and giraffe extend.

There is also no shortage of predators such as hyenas, leopards and birds, of which there are about 400 species, and numerous butterflies. For trekkers, Mount Meru is considered an acclimatization test before venturing on the Kilimanjaro trek. During the ascent, you can enjoy a spectacular panorama and view of Kilimanjaro, only about 70 km away as the crow flies.

Ngurdoto Crater

On the summit of Mount Meru is its beautiful crater, with a width of 4 kilometers and inside a small peak formed by the latest volcanic eruptions, the Ash Cone, and on the eastern part of the slopes the fascinating Ngurdoto Crater.

Ngurdoto Crater is a 3-kilometer-wide caldera so rich in fauna that it is also nicknamed “Little Ngorongoro,” in reference to theNgorongoro Conservation Area. Also part of this diverse ecosystem are the Momela Lakes, seven small lakes formed by the succession of eruptions and floods, which have shallow, alkaline waters and attract a wide variety of birds, first and foremost the elegant flamingos. The lakes are fed by underground water sources that, having different mineral composition, facilitate the growth of various algae that give each lake different colors and shades.

AtArusha National Park a good proportion of large herbivorous mammals and predators are present, but there are no lions. Perhaps for this reason the park is little frequented by tourists despite its proximity from the city, a positive factor for enjoying days immersed in nature in relative solitude.
To reach the other parks, start from Arusha along the paved road in good condition that heads west. This is the territory inhabited by the Maasai nomads, who begin to be encountered on the move with their herds as early as the outskirts of Arusha.