Arusha National Park
Forest, flamingos, and the shadow of Mount Meru
Area
552 km²
Peak Season
June – February
Altitude
1,524 – 4,566 m (Mount Meru)
Region
Northern Tanzania
About This Destination
Arusha
Arusha National Park lies just 30 kilometres from the safari capital of Arusha, yet it remains one of Tanzania's least-visited parks. That is a paradox worth exploiting. Within its 552 square kilometres you find montane rainforest, open savanna, the alkaline Momela Lakes, and the muscular cone of Mount Meru rising to 4,566 metres.
The park is exceptional for walking safaris — the only park in Tanzania's northern circuit where you can explore on foot without a special permit. Giraffe, buffalo, warthog, and zebra wander the open grasslands, while black-and-white colobus monkeys leap through the forest canopy above. The Momela Lakes host flamingos, pelicans, and dozens of waterbird species in pink-tinged shallows.
For those with more time, Mount Meru offers a genuine alpine trek through five ecological zones to a 4,566-metre summit — a serious mountain in its own right, and excellent Kilimanjaro acclimatisation.
Highlights
Sample Itinerary
A full day on foot in Tanzania's most accessible national park.
Arusha National Park Walking Safari
Enter at Ngongongare Gate and walk through the montane forest — black-and-white colobus monkeys in the canopy above. Cross the Momela Lakes on the eastern circuit — flamingos, pelicans, and at the far end, a giraffe herd in the open grassland. Return via the southern forest trail as Mount Meru clears its afternoon cloud.
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