Arusha national park attractions

Arusha national park attractions : Arusha national park is among the wildlife viewing destinations found on the northern part of Tanzania. The national park is also located close to Arusha town which makes it a perfect destination for a day tour when in Arusha town. Arusha national park has different attractions which can be seen during tours and they include the following;

Mount Meru

When visiting Arusha national park, one of the attractions at the destination which will stand out from the surroundings is Mount Meru.

Mount Meru is the second highest mountain in Tanzania at an altitude of 4566 meters. It is also a good place for hikes during tours in Arusha national park. The hikes on Mount Meru take about 3 to 4 days along the Momella route.

The itinerary for hikes on Mount Meru starts from Momella gate to Miriakamba hut on the first day of the hike and the second day of the hike starts from Miriakamba hut to the saddle hit which takes about 3 to 5 hours. The 3rd day of hiking on Mount Meru starts from saddle hut to the summit and then back to Miriakamba hut. The last day of the hike starts from Miriakamba hut to the Momella gate.

Arusha national park attractions
Hiking Mount meru

Mount Meru can be hiked at any time of the year however the best time for hiking in the mountain during tours in Arusha national park is the dry season from June to October.

Wildlife species

When visiting Arusha national park during tours in Tanzania, another attraction which can be seen are the different wildlife species.

The wildlife species which can be seen during safaris around Arusha national park include black and white colobus monkeys, buffalos, waterbucks, giraffes, zebras, antelopes and many others. These wildlife species can be seen around the savannah plains and also in the forest area of the national park.

During wildlife viewing experiences around Arusha national park, game drives and also nature walks are carried out during safaris. The best time to see the wildlife species when on a safari is during the dry season which takes place around June to October and also in December and January.

Momella lakes

Momella lakes are also part of the attractions that can be seen during tours around Arusha national park.

These lakes include the big and small Momella lakes, El kekhotoito, Kusare, Rishateni, Lekandito and Tulusia. The Momella lakes are alkaline in nature and bird species like flamingos can be seen along the lake shores.

Canoeing is another activity which is carried out when visiting Arusha national park. This activity takes about 2 to 3 hours and during the activity wildlife and bird species can be seen along the lake shores.

Arusha national park attractions
Momella Lakes

Bird species

Arusha national park also has various bird species which can be seen during Tanzania Safaris tours at the destination and they include flamingos, Hadeda ibis, silvery cheeked hornbill, crowned eagles, martial eagles, long crested eagles and many others.

The best time for birding in Tanzania is during the months from November to April when migratory bird species are also present in different destinations.

Ngurdoto crater

Another attraction in Arusha national park is the Ngurdoto crater which is a volcanic crater found in the Arusha region.

The crater is surrounded by forest and along the crater floor there are swamps. Descending into the crater is not permitted when visiting Arusha national park however tourists can walk along the crater rim.

Monkeys and baboons are found in the forests around this crater.

Waterfalls

Another attraction which can be seen when visiting Arusha national park are the waterfalls. Some of the waterfalls which can be seen around the destination include Tululusia waterfalls, Meru waterfalls, Napuru waterfalls and many others.

Arusha national park attractions
Water Falls in Arusha N.P

About Arusha national park

Arusha national park is among the easily accessed national parks in the northern part of Tanzania and it is home to a variety of flora and fauna.

A number of activities are carried out around Arusha national park during safaris including wildlife viewing, hiking, birding, canoeing and also nature walks. These activities can be done at any time of the year during safaris around Tanzania.

When visiting Arusha national park, park entrance fee is among the requirements for safaris at the destination and this fee varies for nonresidents, residents and East Africans or Tanzanians. Children below the age of 5 years are not charged park entrance fee to visit this national park.

Children aged between 5 and 15 years during tours to Arusha national park are charged park entrance fee of 15 USD for nonresidents, 7.5 USD for residents and 2,000 Tanzania shillings for Tanzanians and this fee excludes 18% tax.

Adults who are considered individuals above 16 years of age are charged park entrance fee of 50 USD in the high season and 45 USD in the low season for nonresidents, 25 USD in the high season and 22.5 USD in the low season for residents or expatriates and 10,000 Tanzania shillings for East Africans or Tanzanians visiting Arusha national park.

How to get to Arusha national park

When visiting Tanzania for safaris to Arusha national park, flights can be got to Arusha airport or Kilimanjaro international airport.

Driving is another way to get to Arusha national park and from Arusha town it takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour. You can also visit Arusha national park after or before a safari to Serengeti national park, Tarangire national park, Lake Manyara national park or the Ngorongoro crater which are found in the northern part of Tanzania.