Arusha National Park Facts

Arusha National Park is famous for packing Mount Meru, the Ngurdoto Crater and the Momella Lakes into one easily reached park close to Arusha town. It is one of the best places in northern Tanzania to see black-and-white colobus monkeys, and the Momella Lakes often attract flamingos. The park also offers activities that are rare elsewhere on the northern circuit, including guided walking safaris with an armed ranger, canoeing on Small Momella Lake and the multi-day Mount Meru climb, a popular warm-up for Kilimanjaro.

No, lions are not normally found in Arusha National Park, so it is not a Big Five destination. Leopards and spotted hyenas do live in the park but are rarely seen. Instead, the park shines for giraffes, buffalo, zebra, warthogs, waterbuck, hippos, colobus and blue monkeys, plus excellent birdlife. Travelers who want lions, cheetahs and large predator action usually combine Arusha National Park with Tarangire, the Ngorongoro Crater or the Serengeti on a private tailor-made safari designed around their interests.

Arusha National Park was first established in 1960 as Ngurdoto Crater National Park. In 1967 the protected area was expanded to include Mount Meru and its surrounding forest, and the park was renamed Arusha National Park. Today it is managed by Tanzania National Parks, known as TANAPA, which oversees conservation, ranger services, walking safaris and Mount Meru climbing. The area around the Momella Lakes also has a well-known film history, as parts of the 1962 film Hatari! were shot in the Momella area.

Mount Meru rises to 4,566 meters, about 14,980 feet, at Socialist Peak, making it Tanzania's second-highest mountain after Kilimanjaro. This volcano dominates the western half of Arusha National Park, with a dramatic horseshoe-shaped crater and an ash cone inside. Climbs usually take three or four days on the Momella route, staying at Miriakamba and Saddle huts, with an armed park ranger escort required. Many climbers use Meru to acclimatize before Kilimanjaro, and general altitude advice from a travel-health professional is recommended.