Arusha National Park is considered the gem of Tanzania’s northern safari circuit. Located just 40 minutes from the Arusha, the safari capital of Tanzania, Arusha National Park is one of the few game reserves in East Africa that allow walking safaris.

Magically placed between the snow-caped peak of Mount Kilimanjaro and the rugged alpine of Mount Meru, Arusha National Park is used as the base for Kilimanjaro and Meru mountain climbing safari. The park was established in 1960 and it has over the years won the hearts of many tourists who rate it among the most interesting Tanzania safari destinations.

The national park is made up of three main features that include Momella lakes, Ngurdoto Crater and Mount Meru. Momella lakes comprise a collection of seven small lakes fed by underground water channels.

The water feeding into the lake is rich in minerals allowing various types of birdlife to be attracted to the lakes like flamingoes, little grebes, herons, Egyptian geese and many others. Each of the lakes has a different hue of green or blue.

Ngurdoto Crater sometimes called mini Ngorongoro is a fascinating tourist attraction comprising a caldera of an extinct volcano. The 3 kilometre-wide and 400 metres-deep bowl of lush swamps and ravine forest is home to duikers, elephant, buffalo, baboon, leopard, reedbuck and colobus monkeys.

Ngurdoto provides a stunning view of the forests, glades and animal tracks that abound in this lush habitat. The crater is a reserve within a reserve and tourists are not allowed to go down into the crater to avoid causing disturbance to the wildlife. Ngurdoto Crater is surrounded by forest while the crater floor is a swampy area.

Towering above the Arusha National Park, Mount Meru (4565m) is one of Africa’s highest and most picturesque volcanoes. Though not as high as the nearby Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru is regarded by mountaineers as the most rewarding mountain to climb in East Africa. Mount Meru is the second highest mountain in Tanzania and the fifth highest in Africa. The mountain offers some of the best views of Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the clouds.

Covering an area of the about 137 square kilometres, Arusha National Park is home to over 400 species of bird - both resident and migrant- and incredible array of wildlife that include the black and white colobus monkeys. The park also contains blue monkeys and numerous olive baboons as well as a wide range of antelopes, giraffe, elephant, zebra, hyena and leopard. Arusha National Park is said to have the largest concentration of giraffes in the world. The African lions are, however, absent from the park.

Arusha National Park allows walking safari as it is relatively small with few predator species. Throughout the park there are numerous chances to experience the natural world at its own pace, to view different animals in their various habitats and absorb something of the serenity of the surroundings.

The best time to visit Arusha National Park is during the dry season from July-November, or after the short rains from December-March. The best months to climb Meru are June-February, with the best views of Mount Kilimanjaro seen from December-February.

Arusha National Park is accessed via a 40-minute drive from Arusha, approximately 60 km from Kilimanjaro International Airport. The Momella lakes, Arusha forest and Ngurdoto Crater can all be visited in the course of a half-day outing at the beginning or end of an extended northern safari.