Often called a little gem Arusha National Park is a breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly diverse park located just a short drive from the city. It offers a unique and intimate safari experience, dramatically different from the vast plains of the Serengeti.

Arusha National Park is a versatile and stunning destination that proves you don’t need to be vast to be magnificent. It is the perfect park for travelers short on time, seeking a more active and intimate experience, or wanting to combine a classic safari with forest walks and mountain scenery.

Whether you’re canoeing on an emerald lake, trekking towards the summit of Meru, or simply enjoying a game drive in the shadow of the mountain, this “little gem” offers a profoundly beautiful Tanzanian experience.

Key Features & Significance

• Proximity & Accessibility: Located only 37 km (about 30 minutes) from Arusha town, it’s the most accessible national park in Northern Tanzania, perfect for a day trip or a short visit.
• Compact Diversity: Despite its small size (137 sq km), it packs an incredible variety of landscapes montane forest, tranquil crater lakes, rugged cliffs, and the imposing slopes of Mount Meru into a single, stunning package.
• Mount Meru: Dominating the park, Mount Meru (4,566 m / 14,980 ft) is the fifthhighest mountain in Africa. It is a challenging and spectacular trek, often considered a prelude to climbing Kilimanjaro.
• Intimate Experience: The park offers a feeling of peace and solitude, away from the crowds of larger parks.

Climate & Best Time to Visit

• Best Time: June to September and December to early March (dry seasons for better wildlife viewing and trekking).
• Rainy Seasons: Short rains from October to November; long, heavy rains from March to May.

Main Attractions

• Ngurdoto Crater: Often called the “Little Ngorongoro,” this steepsided crater has a marshy floor that is a sanctuary for buffalo, elephants, warthogs, and baboons. (Note: descending into the crater floor is not permitted).
• Momela Lakes: A series of seven shallow, alkaline lakes, each with a different hue of green or blue. They are famous for their flocks of flamingos, water birds like pelicans and storks, and resident hippos.
• Mount Meru: The primary attraction for trekkers, offering a multiday climb through lush forest to an alpine desert and a dramatic summit cone.
• Rich Biodiversity: While it lacks lions and has very few elephants, it is home to giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, bushbucks, dikdiks, and a healthy population of primates like blue monkeys and colobus. Leopards are present but elusive.