Giraffe and zebra on a game drive in Arusha National Park
Game Drives
Explore forest, crater and lakes by 4x4, spotting giraffe, buffalo, colobus monkeys and abundant birdlife.
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Mount Meru rising above the Momella Lakes in Arusha National Park — 2400×1400
Northern Tanzania · Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park
A compact, wonderfully scenic park on the doorstep of Arusha — montane forest, crater lakes and the dramatic peak of Mount Meru. Home to walking safaris and canoeing, it is the perfect first day of a Tanzanian adventure.
IThe Doorstep Gem
Big Variety in a Small Park
Just a short drive from the city of Arusha and Kilimanjaro International Airport, Arusha National Park is one of Tanzania’s most accessible and scenically diverse parks — and one of its most overlooked. Though small, it packs three very different worlds into a compact area: the lush montane forest and steep ravine of Ngurdoto Crater; the string of shimmering, alkaline Momella Lakes; and the soaring slopes of Mount Meru, Tanzania’s second-highest mountain.
What makes Arusha special is not the density of big game — you won’t find lions here — but its beauty, its variety and the range of activities it allows. This is a place for giraffe drifting across open glades, buffalo and zebra on the plains, troops of black-and-white colobus monkeys swinging through the forest canopy, and flamingos crowding the lakes. Crucially, it is one of the few parks where you can safely explore on foot and by canoe.
All of this makes Arusha National Park the ideal gentle introduction to a safari — a rewarding first day to stretch your legs, ease into the rhythm of the bush and acclimatise before heading to the great parks or up Kilimanjaro.
On a clear day the rewards are greater still: from the higher reaches of the park, the snows of Kilimanjaro float on the eastern horizon beyond the cone of Mount Meru — a view that captures the drama of northern Tanzania in a single sweep. Add the park’s convenience and its unusual mix of activities, and it is a genuinely special place that far too many visitors rush straight past.
The dramatic crater and ash cone of Mount Meru — 1000×750
Mount Meru
Tanzania’s Second Summit
Dominating the park is Mount Meru, an extinct volcano rising to 4,566 metres — the second-highest mountain in Tanzania after Kilimanjaro, and a magnificent sight in its own right. Its dramatic, horseshoe-shaped crater and ash cone make for one of the most spectacular and rewarding treks in East Africa.
A Meru climb typically takes three to four days through forest, moorland and rocky ridge to a thrilling summit sunrise, often with Kilimanjaro floating on the horizon. Many climbers use Meru as a superb acclimatisation trek before tackling Kilimanjaro itself, and it offers wonderful wildlife on its lower slopes, walked with an armed ranger.
Even if you never set foot on its summit, Meru shapes the whole experience of the park — its forested slopes, ravines and crater providing the dramatic backdrop to every game drive, walk and paddle. Its lower reaches are wonderful for wildlife and birdlife, and the mountain’s presence gives Arusha National Park a grandeur out of all proportion to its modest size.
Unique Activities
Walking & Canoeing Safaris
Because it has no lions, Arusha National Park offers experiences impossible in the big-game parks. On a guided walking safari with an armed ranger, you can approach giraffe, zebra and buffalo on foot and discover the smaller wonders of the forest — birds, butterflies, plants and views — at your own pace.
Even more unusually, you can take to the water: gentle canoe trips on the Momella Lakes glide you past hippos, waterbirds and flamingos, with Mount Meru reflected in the still surface. These active, intimate ways to experience the bush make Arusha a refreshing and memorable stop.
Canoeing on the Momella Lakes with Mount Meru behind — 1000×750
IIWhen to Go
The Best Time to Visit Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park can be enjoyed year-round, and its variety of habitats means there is always something to see. The dry seasons (June to October, and December to February) offer the clearest views — the best chance of glimpsing Kilimanjaro and Meru unclouded — and the easiest walking and game viewing, making them ideal for most visitors and for climbing Mount Meru.
The wet seasons bring lush green forest, tumbling streams and wonderful birding, with migratory species swelling the lakes, though the mountains are more often shrouded in cloud. As the park is usually visited as a half or full day (or a multi-day Meru trek), it fits easily into any itinerary. Being close to the city and the airport, it is the perfect place to begin or end a trip.
IIIThings to Do
Ways to Experience Arusha
Few parks offer such a range of activities in so small an area — a wonderful way to ease into your safari.
Guests walking with a ranger among giraffe
Walking Safaris
Explore on foot with an armed ranger — a rare chance to approach wildlife and the forest up close.
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Canoes on the calm Momella Lakes
Canoeing
Paddle the tranquil Momella Lakes past hippos, flamingos and waterbirds beneath Mount Meru.
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Trekkers on the ridge of Mount Meru at sunrise
Mount Meru Trek
Summit Tanzania’s second-highest peak on a 3–4 day trek — superb in itself and a great Kili warm-up.
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The Momella Lakes with Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro on the horizon — 2400×1400
Momella Lakes
A Landscape of Water & Mountains
The string of Momella Lakes lies at the heart of the park, each a slightly different shade of green and blue thanks to their varying mineral content, and each fringed with birdlife. Framed by the great cone of Mount Meru and, on a clear day, the snows of Kilimanjaro beyond, they form one of the most beautiful and photogenic scenes in all of northern Tanzania.
Start PlanningWhere to Stay
Lodges Near the Park & City
Because Arusha National Park is so close to the city and the airport, most visitors stay at one of the many excellent lodges and guesthouses in and around Arusha, on coffee estates or in the green foothills of Mount Meru — comfortable, characterful bases that are perfect for the start or end of a trip.
A handful of lodges sit closer to or within the park itself, offering a more immersive stay among the forest and lakes. We match you to the right base for your journey — whether you want an easy airport-side stay or a peaceful retreat in the hills — and arrange all your transfers and activities.
Because the park is minutes from Kilimanjaro International Airport and the city, it is the ideal place to begin or end a trip, and we can have you exploring on your very first day. We arrange all transfers and activities, and can pair a visit here with a Mount Meru trek or the wider northern circuit for a seamless adventure.
Coffee-estate lodge in the green foothills of Mount Meru — 1000×750
IVGallery
Arusha Park in Pictures
Black-and-white colobus monkeys in the forest canopy
Giraffe grazing on open glades
Flamingos on a Momella lake
Buffalo beside the lakeshore
Waterfall in the montane forest
Mount Meru reflected in a still lake at dawn
“The perfect first day — canoeing beneath Mount Meru with giraffe on the shore. It set the tone for the most magical trip of our lives.”
Sofia & Luca R., ItalyVGood to Know
Arusha Park FAQ
Easily. Its location beside the city and airport makes it the ideal first or last stop of a wider northern-circuit safari, and Mount Meru is a superb acclimatisation trek before Kilimanjaro.
It is usually enjoyed as a half or full day, making it the ideal first or last stop of a trip given how close it is to the city and airport. A Mount Meru trek takes three to four days.
No — the park has no lions, which is precisely why walking and canoeing safaris are possible here. You will find giraffe, buffalo, zebra, colobus monkeys, hippos and wonderful birdlife instead.
Yes — Arusha is one of the few parks where guided walking safaris (with an armed ranger) and canoeing on the Momella Lakes are offered, making it a refreshingly active and intimate experience.
Very much so. Climbing Mount Meru (4,566m) is a spectacular trek in its own right and an excellent acclimatisation climb in the days before tackling Kilimanjaro — we can arrange the two together.
Begin the Journey
Ready to Explore Arusha National Park?
Get in touch and we'll kick off your adventure with a gentle first day of walking, canoeing and wildlife, right on Arusha's doorstep.