Arusha National Park: The Perfect Safari Gateway

Why Choose Arusha National Park?

Unlike the vast, open savannahs of the Serengeti, Arusha National Park offers a rich, heavily forested landscape. Because the park does not have resident lions, it provides an incredibly safe environment for immersive, out-of-the-vehicle experiences.  

• Zero Travel Fatigue: Located incredibly close to Arusha and Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), it’s the ultimate "day trip" or arrival-day safari.  

• The Best Walking Safaris: Step out of the 4x4 and experience the African bush on foot.  

• A Primate Paradise: It is one of the best places in Tanzania to spot the striking, acrobatic black-and-white colobus monkey, alongside playful blue monkeys and olive baboons.  

  
  

Top Activities & Highlights

With Gnade Safaris, you can customize your Arusha National Park visit to be as relaxing or as adventurous as you desire. Here is what awaits you:

1. Thrilling Guided Walking Safaris

Feel the crunch of the earth beneath your boots and smell the wild African sage. Accompanied by an armed, expert park ranger, a walking safari brings you face-to-face with nature. You’ll walk safely across the plains, getting up close to grazing giraffes, zebras, and buffaloes, while learning how to read animal tracks and identify local flora.  

2. Canoeing on the Momella Lakes

Arusha National Park features the Momella Lakes, a stunning series of shallow alkaline lakes. Glide across the tranquil waters in a canoe—a rare safari activity—while observing hippos surfacing nearby and bushbucks drinking from the shore. Depending on the season, the lakes are painted pink by thousands of vibrant Greater and Lesser Flamingos.  

3. Exploring the Ngurdoto Crater

Often referred to as "Little Ngorongoro," the Ngurdoto Crater is a stunning volcanic caldera with steep, lush walls enclosing a marshy floor. While you cannot drive down into the crater, the rim offers breathtaking panoramic viewpoints where you can spot herds of buffalo and warthogs roaming below.  

4. Trekking Mount Meru

For the ultimate adventure, tackle Mount Meru ($4,562$ meters), Tanzania’s second-highest peak. Often used as an acclimatization climb before Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru is a spectacular 3-to-4-day trek in its own right, taking you through varying climatic zones and rewarding you with a dramatic ridge walk to the summit.  

The Wildlife You'll Encounter

While you won't find lions or cheetahs here, the park is incredibly rich in herbivores and birdlife:  

• Mammals: Huge herds of Cape buffalo, majestic Maasai giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, bushbucks, and the elusive leopard (for the very lucky!).

• Primates: The iconic black-and-white colobus monkeys and blue monkeys dominate the forest canopy.  

• Birdlife: A true birdwatcher's paradise with over 400 recorded species, including the Narina Trogon, silvery-cheeked hornbills, and African fish eagles.  

  
  

Best Time to Visit

Arusha National Park is a fantastic year-round destination.

• Dry Season (June to October): Best for walking safaris, Mount Meru treks, and spotting wildlife as animals gather around reliable water sources.  

• Wet Season (November to May): The scenery is spectacularly green and lush. This is the absolute best time for birdwatching as migratory species arrive from Europe and North Africa.