The closest national park to Arusha town – northern Tanzania’s safari capital – Arusha National Park is a multi-faceted jewel, often overlooked by safari-goers, despite offering the opportunity to explore a beguiling diversity of habitats within a few hours.
Situated at the foot of Mount Meru, this breathtaking park includes the alkaline Momella Lakes, the Ngurdoto Craters and spectacular waterfalls. It is one of the few parks in Tanzania where you can enjoy a walking safari. Although one of the smallest parks, it is also one of the most beautiful, with spectacular views of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro, abundant wildlife, and the shallow, alkaline Momela Lakes which attract a wide variety of wader birds, particularly flamingos.
The most common animals found in this park are the Abyssinian black and white colobus monkeys, the Vervet monkeys, the red forest duikers, hippos, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, bushbucks and sometimes leopards. More than 400 species of birds have been recorded in the park, including Eurasian migrants, which can be seen between October and April.
