Tanzania · National park
Arusha National Park
Forest, lakes and Mount Meru
Size
About 550 km²
Location
Next to Arusha city
Best time
Year-round
Known for
Walking safaris · Mount Meru
About the park
A small park full of surprises
Just 45 minutes from Arusha, this park is often overlooked, yet it packs extraordinary variety into a small area. It stretches from the rainforest of the Ngurdoto Crater to the shallow Momella Lakes and up the slopes of Mount Meru, at 4,566 m Tanzania’s second-highest mountain.
It’s one of the few national parks where you can walk with an armed ranger, and the forest is the best place in the north to see black-and-white colobus monkeys. Giraffes, buffaloes and zebras roam the open glades, and the lakes often host flamingos. It’s ideal for a day trip, a first afternoon after arriving, or as the start of a Mount Meru climb.
Highlights
Why visit Arusha National Park
Walking safaris
Explore on foot with an armed ranger among giraffe and buffalo.
Colobus monkeys
Black-and-white colobus in the montane forest.
Momella Lakes
Shallow alkaline lakes, often with flamingos.
Mount Meru
Climb Tanzania’s second-highest mountain in 3–4 days.
When to visit
Good all year. Clear skies with views of Meru and Kilimanjaro are most likely June to October and in January and February.
Wildlife you may see
Colobus and blue monkeys, giraffe, buffalo, zebra, warthog, waterbuck, hippo, flamingos and many forest birds. Leopards are present but rarely seen.
Getting there
About 45 minutes by road from Arusha and about an hour from Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Visit with Asili
Trips including Arusha
Day trip
Arusha National Park Day Trip
Day trip
Materuni Waterfalls & Coffee
3 days
Crater to Canopy
Plan your Arusha safari
Tell us when you’d like to travel and we’ll design a private journey that includes Arusha.
Enquire now