National parks found near Arusha

National parks found near Arusha : Arusha town is a starting point for national parks in the northern part of Tanzania and around the Arusha region. The different national parks of Tanzania found near Arusha are part of the northern part of Tanzania which is a part of the country which is famous for wildlife viewing experiences and they include the following;

Arusha national park

Arusha national park is the closest national park to Arusha town and it is also a good place for day tours during safaris around Tanzania.

The national park offers wildlife viewing, amazing hiking excursions, canoeing, bird watching and also cultural tours. In Arusha national park, you can also enjoy seeing spectacular landscapes with distinct features like Mount Meru which is the second highest mountain in Tanzania, rainforests and also crater lakes and streams.

You can also enjoy seeing waterfalls during a tour around Arusha national park. Other attractions around the destination include the Momella lakes where flamingos can also be seen, the Ngurdoto crater and also the little Ngorongoro where wildlife species can be spotted during a safari.

Black colobus monkeys can also be encountered during a tour around Arusha national park which is dominated by Mount Meru. Other wildlife species which can be seen around the national park include buffalos, warthogs, giraffes, zebras, dik dik blue monkeys and many others.

Tarangire national park

Another national park which is found near Arusha town is Tarangire national park which is another destination where wildlife viewing can be done at any time of the year.

Tarangire national park is home to large herds of African elephants as well as other wildlife species such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, buffalos, zebras, giraffes, hippos, gerenuks among others. The national park also has over 400 bird species which are best seen from November to April.

The national park is about 120 kilometers away from Arusha town and can be accessed by flight and also by driving which takes about 2 hours. Activities to do during a Tanzania safari around the national park include game drives, guided nature walks, hot air balloon safaris, bird watching and also cultural tours.

Lake Manyara national park

Lake Manyara national park is another wildlife viewing area to visit near Arusha. This national park is home to tree climbing lions and many other wildlife and bird species.

Activities which are carried out during safaris around Lake Manyara national park include game drives which are carried out in the morning, afternoon and also in the night, guided nature walks, canopy walks, cultural tours and also bird watching.

The national park is not as big as other parks near Arusha but it offers amazing wildlife viewing throughout the year. Lake Manyara national park is located about 130 kilometers from Arusha town.

Lake Manyara national park is also known for its diverse habitat and during a tour to this national park from Arusha you can enjoy views of the Great Rift Valley.

Kilimanjaro national park

You can also visit Kilimanjaro national park during safaris around Arusha. This national park is located about 128 kilometers from Arusha town.

Safaris to Kilimanjaro national park can begin from Arusha town or Moshi town which is found at the foothills of the mountain. This national park is famous for hikes on Mount Kilimanjaro which is the highest mountain in Tanzania and also in Africa at an altitude of 5895 meters.

Mount Kilimanjaro is also among the seven summits of the world and there are different routes used for hiking on this mountain and they include Machame route, Marangu route, Lemosho route, Rongai route, Umbwe route, Shira route.

Hiking in Kilimanjaro national park can take about 5 to 6 days or more depending on the route which is used for hiking.

Serengeti national park

Serengeti national park is another safari destination to visit when in Tanzania and although this park is located a bit far from Arusha town, it is worth visiting.

The national park is about 7 to 8 hours’ drive away from Arusha town and Serengeti national park is also among the popular national parks in Tanzania. Serengeti national park is also known for the big five, the wildebeest migration and also for being one of the oldest and largest parks in Tanzania. Another way to get to Serengeti national park is by flying to the different airstrips around the park such as Seronera, Kogatende, Grumeti, Ndutu, Kirawira among others.

There are different parts of the national park which can be visited during tours around Tanzania and they include northern Serengeti where the river crossings take place along the Mara river, the central part of Serengeti also known as Seronera, western Serengeti, and also southern Serengeti which is known for the calving season during the wildebeest migration in Tanzania, National parks found near Arusha.

Activities to do during safaris around Serengeti national park include game drives, hot air balloon safaris, guided nature walks, bird watching and also cultural tours which can be done at any time of the year.

The wildebeest migration is something to look forward to when visiting Serengeti national park and it involves movement of over 2 million wildebeests annually. This migration can be seen in different parts of Serengeti national park throughout the year.

The Ngorongoro conservation area

Another wildlife viewing destination around Arusha which can be visited during safaris around Tanzania is the Ngorongoro conservation area.

Around Ngorongoro you can take part in a wildlife viewing experience and also interact with the locals such as the Maasai who live in the Ngorongoro conservation area. Numerous wildlife species are found around Ngorongoro and they include the big five such as elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos and buffalos.

Some of the activities to take part in when visiting the Ngorongoro conservation area include game drives around the crater, guided nature walks, hot air balloon safaris, bird watching and also cultural experiences.

Ngorongoro conservation area is located about 4 hours from Arusha town.

There is a lot more to do around Arusha apart from visiting the national parks mentioned above an the activities include taking part in a tour of Arusha, Maasai cultural tours, visiting Lake Duluti, visiting the local market, visiting the cultural heritage center and so much more.