Arusha National Park
552 square kilometres at the base of Mount Meru - the most under-visited Northern Circuit park, and the only one where you can walk, canoe and drive on the same day.
- Size
- 552 km²
- Feature
- Mount Meru 4,566 m
- Activities
- Drive, walk, canoe
- From Arusha
- 45 minutes
Guide to Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park is the country's most under-appreciated safari destination - a compact park with three distinct ecosystems (the Ngurdoto crater, the Momella lakes and the slopes of Mount Meru) reachable in a day trip from Arusha town. It is also one of only two national parks in Tanzania where visitors can walk unaccompanied by a vehicle (with an armed ranger).
Why visit Arusha National Park
As a first-day-in-country safari to shake off the flights, as a half-day for guests waiting on a Kilimanjaro summit party, or as the technical acclimatisation start of a Mount Meru trek (a superb four-day acclimatisation warm-up before Kilimanjaro), Arusha rewards the day-trip visit. The park holds giraffe in exceptional numbers, buffalo, warthog, colobus monkey, waterbuck and hippo - but no lion (they were extirpated decades ago), which is what makes walking and canoeing safely possible.
Activities
Canoeing on the Momella lakes with an armed ranger, past flamingos and pelicans, is unique on the Northern Circuit.
Walking safaris with a park ranger through the acacia woodland below the Ngurdoto crater rim.
Mount Meru trek - a 4-day acclimatisation climb to the country's second-highest peak (4,566m), with mountain-hut accommodation.
Getting there
45 minutes from Arusha town via the tarmac Moshi road, then a short dirt approach to the Ngurdoto gate. No airstrip; road access only.
Best time and month-by-month weather
Year-round destination. June-October is drier and clearer; February-March offers baby giraffe and warthog on the plains.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | In the field |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27°C | 13°C | 70 mm | Warm days, cool mornings. |
| June | 22°C | 10°C | 20 mm | Cool, dry, clear views of Meru and Kilimanjaro. |
| September | 24°C | 11°C | 20 mm | Best mountain views. |
| November | 25°C | 13°C | 100 mm | Short rains. |
Curated camps and lodges
Most visitors day-trip from Arusha. A handful of lodges sit at the park boundary.
Boutique lodges perfect for a first or last night before/after safari.
- Hatari Lodge - Historic Hardy Krüger property at the park gate
- Legendary Lodge (Elewana) - Coffee-plantation setting in Arusha
Packing list for this destination
- Warm layer even at midday (park is at 1,500-4,566 m)
- Waterproof shoes for canoeing and walking
- Camera with zoom for Meru summit views
Arusha National Park - your questions, answered
Let's plan your Arusha National Park safari.
Every Karis journey is designed one traveller at a time by our Arusha-based team. Share a few details and a specialist will send a hand-crafted proposal within 24 hours.