Arusha National Park is one of Tanzania’s smallest parks, covering an area of 137 sqkm . It is the closest national park to Arusha town – the Capital of northern Tanzania. The town and the Park derive their name from the Warusha people who traditionally lived in this area. However the Park also overlaps into areas where the Maasai lived and most of the place names in the Park are of Maasai origin.

The Park has a wide range of habitats, from the crater lakes where many water native and migratory birds can be viewed, through the highland montane forest, up to the impressive summit of Meru Mountain.

The forests contain a diversity of birds and other animals. The nice looking bushbuck easily glimpsed in the grades between the antique cedar trees, or the black and white colobus monkeys jumping from one branch to another. The appealing scenery of the area is reflected in the extraordinary sight of the ash cone and cliff face leading to the peak of Mount Meru.

Arusha National Park is one of the few in Tanzania where walking safaris take place, mainly because it is small with a few dangerous predators. Hikers pass through wooded savannah where buffalos and giraffes are regularly encountered. The ascent of MountMeru then leads into forests in flames with red-hot pokers and dripping with Spanish moss, before getting to the high open moorland spiked with giant lobelias. The alpine desert presents the ceaseless flowers and delicately-hoofed klipspringers along the trek. On both sides of the rocky summit, Kilimanjaro stands unveiled, withdrawn in the sunrise.

What to see on a Holiday to Arusha
Ngurdoto Crater- a miniature crater about 2 kilometres wide and a few feet deep with forested walls, Momella Lakes, Mt. Meru (4500M), Black & white colobus Monkey, all kinds of Big African game except Lion and Rhino. Hundreds of different species of sedentary birds to include the Silvery cheeked Hornbill, Hertlaub`s Turaco, Giant Kingfisher, a variety of wadders and Divers including Lilly troters, Yellow billed Stork and the Maccoa Duck respectively. Accommodations shall be arranged in Arusha Town.

Access
A 45 Minutes drive from ArushaTown.

Holiday Safari Highlights
Impressive views of Mount.Meru(4566 Metres), Elephants and Buffaloes, Maasai Giraffes, a variety of beautiful Birds most of them endemic to East Africa, Ngurdoto crater.

Best time to visit.
All year around except April and mid May. November.
Best views of Kilimanjaro December-February. To climb Mt Meru, June-February although it may rain in

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Tags: arusha, national parks, Safari Destinations, tanzania