A lot of safari-goers drive straight past Arusha National Park on their way to the northern circuit, which is a shame, because it rewards anyone who stops. In a single day you can look down into the sunken walls of Ngurdoto Crater, drive past the flamingo-lined Momella Lakes, and step out of the vehicle for a guided walking safari beneath Mount Meru, something only a handful of Tanzania's parks allow. It's a compact, varied day, and since the park sits barely 25 minutes from Arusha town, you're back at your hotel well before dinner.
Day HighlightsYour guide picks you up from your Arusha hotel around 7:00am and makes the short 25-minute drive to Ngongongare Gate, where you go over the day's plan with a coffee at the entrance.
Drive up to the rim of Ngurdoto Crater and look down over its marshy floor, then move through open grassland and acacia woodland where giraffe, buffalo and warthog are commonly around, watching the treetops for troops of black-and-white colobus monkeys.
Continue on to the Momella Lakes, seven shallow alkaline lakes that draw flamingos and other waterbirds, with Mount Meru rising behind them. Leave the vehicle here for a guided walking safari with an armed ranger, one of the few chances in Tanzania to cover ground on foot.
Stop for a picnic lunch at a viewpoint, then take a relaxed afternoon drive back through the park. Your guide drops you at your Arusha hotel by around 4:00pm.
Arusha National Park works well year-round and is a good way to fill a day before a flight home from Kilimanjaro International Airport. June to October, the driest months, give the clearest views of Mount Meru and the firmest footing for walking. January and February bring milder temperatures and fewer other visitors.
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