Arusha national park is one of the best safari destinations in Tanzania. It is located in the northern safari circuit of the great Tanzania. The park was formerly known as Ngurdoto crater national park and it was established in 1960 to protect the wildlife in the park. In 1967, it was declared a national park. Arusha national park derived its name from the Warusha people who settled around this area. The park covers an area of about 137 square kilometers engulfing Ngurdoto crater and Mount Meru the second highest mountain in Tanzania after Mount Kilimanjaro.
Arusha National Park is located just 25 kilometers East of Arusha, 35 kilometers away from Kilimanjaro international airport and it is approximately 148 kilometers away from Tarangire national park. Arusha national park is covered with different vegetation types that make it beautiful and favorable for the wildlife to thrive.
The park’s lower part is covered by open grasslands fused with acacia woodlands, shrubs, Mount Meru slopes are covered predominantly by olive trees, podocarps, figs and junipers. There are ever green trees fused with deciduous and around Ngurdoto crater, there are marshes, and Momella lakes are covered by swamps providing residence to the aquatic life. At the high slopes of Meru Mountain, there is alpine vegetation, with hardy shrubs, heathers and grasses while Alpine vegetation favors giant lobelia and giant groundsels.
Wildlife in Arusha National Park
Arusha national park is famous for hosting large population of the giraffes, however there are other wildlife that roam in Arusha national park notably; elephants, cape giraffes, warthogs, bush pigs, waterbucks, duikers, Dik-Dik, leopards, hyenas, black and white colobus monkeys. The park accommodates over 400 bird species with some being endemic and others being migratory birds. Some of the bird species that fly in Arusha national park include; cinnamon chested-bee eater, flamingos, great crested grebe, African fish eagle, bar-tailed trogon, silvery cheeked hornbill, peregrine falcon, black saw-wing, African olive pigeon, Egyptian goose, Narina trogon, bearded vulture, bronzy sunbirds, red billed oxpeckers, yellow billed storks among others.
Activities in Arusha National Park
Game drive in Arusha National Park: The park is known for hosting a number of wildlife for example giraffes, buffaloes, lions, leopards, waterbucks, hyenas, bushbucks, Dik-Dik, elephants, among others. On your Tanzanian safari in Arusha national park game drives can be done in morning, evening and night. Game drive in Arusha national park is so amazing in that you will encounter wildlife in the shortest time. Morning game drive will expose you to early risers while evening and night game drives will expose you to animals that fear heat of the day as well as nocturnal animals.
Hiking Mount Meru: Hiking Mount Meru in the park is another amazing experience and this will give you breathtaking view of the park and Momella lakes, steep ridges and amazing vegetation. Mount Meru is within the park land and it occupies the horizon of the park with its height of 4,566 meters above the ground. Hiking Mount Meru can take between 3 to 4 days depending on the fitness of the hiker.
Birding in Arusha National Park: Arusha national park is a home to over 400 bird species and most commonly seen are; bar-tailed trogon, scaly francolin, fish eagles, red-fronted parrot, vultures, white browed coucal, Hartlaub’s turaco among others. These bird species make the entire birding experience in Arusha national park a must visit. Birding is best done during wet season between March and May, this is when migratory birds flock the park, there is a lot of food in the park and you can easily spot so many bird species.
Canoeing in Arusha National Park: This is done on Momella lakes and you will be able to experience aquatic life that dwell in the Momella lakes. Expect to have an encounter with hippopotamus, crocodiles, water birds and this canoeing can take about 2 to 3 hours.
You can combine Arusha safaris with gorilla trekking experience in Uganda, where you can fly from Arusha airport or Kilimanjaro international airport to Entebbe international airport where your driver guide will be waiting to receive you and then transfer you to Bwindi impenetrable national park. You can add chimpanzee trekking experience in Uganda on your bucket list where you will have to visit Kibale forest national park to achieve wildlife experience and primates experience as well.
