Size:
552 sq km (212 sq miles).
Location:
Northern Tanzania, between Arusha and Mount Kilimanjaro.
Getting to:
A 45 minute drive from Arusha or one hour from Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Things to do:
Forest walks, Picnicking, Canoe safaris, Mountain climbing and hiking, Bird and animal watching, Monkey trekking.
Best time to visit:
It is best to climb Mt Meru between June and February, although it tends to rain in November. Best views of Kilimanjaro are between December and February.
Accomodation & Services
Why should you visit?
Arusha National Park is one of the most diverse parks topographically. At dusk and dawn the majestic snow-capped peaks of Kilimanjaro, only 50km (30 mi) distant, are easily seen but it is Kilimanjaro’s unassuming cousin, Mount Meru – the fifth highest in Africa at 4,566 metres (14,990 feet) – that dominates the park’s horizon.
Meru offers unparalleled views of its famous neighbour, while also forming a rewarding hiking destination in its own right. To the north, rolling grassy hills enclose the tranquil beauty of the Momela Lakes, each one a different hue of green or blue. Their shallows sometimes tinged pink with thousands of flamingos, the lakes support a rich selection of resident and migrant waterfowl, and shaggy waterbucks are also present.
Giraffes and zebra herds intermingle while pairs of wide-eyed dik-dik dart around. Also present is Ngurdoto Crater, where wildlife is also abundant.
