Mantled guereza (Colobus guereza) and its baby
Arusha National Park is a great start of your Tanzanian safari. It is a small park but varied with a huge rainforest, waterfalls, lakes, craters, swamps and mountains. Therefore it attracts a diversity of wildlife such as giraffes, hippos, flamingos and the unique black-and-white colobus monkey. Set between the impressive peaks of Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro, this park is ideal for a day trip and activities like walking, mountain biking and canoeing.
Mount Meru
Situated in the heart of the park is Tanzania’s second highest mountain (4566m, 12,000 ft), Mount Meru. This volcanic mountain towers high above Arusha town and dominates the park’s horizon. On the lower hills of the mountain you can see buffaloes, giraffes and monkeys. Climbing Mount Meru is quite a challenge because of its steepness, but at the summit the panoramic views of Kilimanjaro and the Rift Valley are spectacular.
Momella lakes
Surrounded by green hills, lies the Momella Lakes in the eastern part of the park. These seven shallow lakes are alkaline and attract many migrating birds and flamingos. Due to the algae and minerals the lakes change colour a few times per year. It’s a beautiful sight to see thousands of pink-hued flamingos crowd the lake, especially when they take flight. Game viewing around the lake is nice but you can also choose to explore the lake and its wildlife from the comfort of a canoe. Enjoy the silence and peace while you spot giraffes, buffaloes and bushbucks on the shore lines.
Ngurdoto Crater
The Ngurdoto is a swampy crater where a large variety of wildlife resides. It is surrounded by forest and is 3 km wide and 100 metres deep. You can say it is a smaller version of the Ngorongoro Crater. With a bit of luck you can see the black-and-white colobus monkey, blue monkey and hornbills in the forested slopes of the crater. There are several good viewpoints on the rim into the crater floor where buffaloes and warthogs can be spotted.
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