ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK
Come see an abundance of nature here at Arusha National Park, home to Mount Meru- Tanzania’s second highest peak. The diverse landscapes boast with enchanted jungle paths, open green fields, crystalline lakes and rushing rivers. It’s best to come visit in the dry season (June-September) when the sun is shining and the animals are easy to spot!
Often overlooked due to its small size, Arusha National Park is a beautiful escape from the bustling city only 25 kilometers away. Typically this park is known as the home of Mount Meru, Tanzania’s second highest peak 4565m, but there is so much more to this small park than that! The diverse landscape holds everything from dense jungle to roaring rivers. Unlike other parks, here you can explore lush jungle paths with canopies overhead hosting hundreds of playful monkeys. You will also find giraffes galloping through open fields and flocks of flamingos dancing across a lake. It’s a wonderful place to connect with nature and still make it back to the city before nightfall.
Species: Animals you will spot on a safari here include giraffe, zebra, cape buffalo, waterbuck, dik-dik, warthog, the black and white colobus monkey, the blue monkey, elephants, leopards, and lions have also been known to hang out here as well although they are not commonly seen. Birdlife here is prolific, with many species like the narina trogon and bar-tailed trogon which are not common in many other areas.
Highlights:
Black and White Colobus Monkeys: This is the only park in Tanzania where you can see these cheeky animals in their natural habitat.
Mount Meru: Standing at 14,990 feet, Meru is Africa’s fifth highest mountain. This active volcano is a beautiful sight to behold.
The Momella lakes: This collection of seven shallow lakes entices all sorts of wildlife to bask in the alkaline waters. You’ll see waterbucks, dik-diks, zebras, giraffes, and birds galore hanging out at the lakes
Shira route – This is almost identical to the Lemosho route. However, the start of your journey varies slightly, bypassing the walk through the rainforest with vehicle transport instead. The minimum days required for this route is 6 days.
Tululusia Hill: Not only is this a beautiful hill to pitch a tent or have a picnic, it is also a historic site. This hill was once a lookout point during tribal wars making it a fascinating place to spend some time.