Arusha National Park

THE PERFECT DAYTRIP

The closest national park to Arusha town – northern Tanzania’s safari capital – Arusha National Park is a multi-faceted jewel, often overlooked by highlight seekers, despite offering the opportunity to explore a diversity of habitats within a few hours.

The entrance gate welcomes you into a shadowy montane forest, which is home to curious blue monkeys, vibrant turacos and trogons. It’s the sole location on the northern safari circuit where you can readily spot the agile black-and-white colobus monkey. Within this forest lies the stunning Ngurdoto Crater, characterized by its steep, rocky cliffs and surrounding a broad marshy floor dotted with herds of buffalo and warthogs.

Further to the north, grassy hills surround the peaceful Momela Lakes, each displaying a unique shade of green or blue. Sometimes, the lakes’ shallows take on a pinkish hue due to the presence of thousands of flamingos. These lakes are home to various resident and migratory waterfowl, and you can often spot shaggy waterbucks showcasing their large lyre-shaped horns along the water’s edge. Giraffes gracefully move across the grassy hills, mingling with herds of grazing zebras, while pairs of wide-eyed dik-dik swiftly disappear into the scrubby bushes.

While elephants are not frequently seen in Arusha National Park, and lions are entirely absent. You may catch glimpses of leopards and spotted hyenas skulking around during the early mornings and late afternoons. It’s during these times that the veil of clouds on the eastern horizon is most likely to dissipate, revealing the snowy peaks of Kilimanjaro, just 50km (30 miles) away.

However, it’s Mount Meru, Kilimanjaro’s humble counterpart, that commands the horizon within Arusha National Park. Standing as the fifth highest peak in Africa at 4’566 meters above sea level (14,990 feet), Mount Meru offers unparalleled views of its famous neighbor, with its peaks and eastern foothills protected within the national park boundaries. Additionally, Mount Meru itself serves as a rewarding hiking destination.

Beginning amidst wooded savannah where encounters with buffalos and giraffes are common, the ascent of Mount Meru then leads through forests adorned with red-hot pokers and draped in Spanish moss. As you climb higher, you’ll traverse open heathlands punctuated by towering lobelias. Throughout the journey, everlasting flowers adorn the alpine desert, while delicately-hoofed klipspringers serve as markers of progress. Upon reaching the rugged summit, Kilimanjaro is unveiled, blushing in the light of the sunrise.