Arusha National Park

Arusha National Park packs a great deal into a small area: the Ngurdoto crater with its swampy floor and buffalo, the Momella lakes, alkaline and each a different colour with flamingos on them, montane forest full of black and white colobus, and the slopes of Mount Meru rising to over four thousand five hundred metres. There are no lions, which is why walking safaris with an armed ranger are permitted here and rare elsewhere. Kilimanjaro is visible on clear days.

History

The Rwa people were the first inhabitants of the area. The park was founded in 1960 as the Ngurdoto Crater National Park, taking in the Momella farm given by the Trappe family, and in 1967 it was renamed Arusha National Park when Mount Meru, 4,566 m, was added (Wikipedia, Arusha National Park).

The landscape

• The Momella lakes - alkaline lakes of different colours with flamingos and waterbirds.
• Ngurdoto Crater - a collapsed crater with a swampy floor viewed from the rim.
• The walking safaris - guided walks on foot, uncommon in Tanzanian parks.
• The colobus - black and white colobus in the montane forest sections.

When to go

June to October is the dry season and best for driving and walking. Kilimanjaro is most often visible early on clear mornings. The long rains from March to May bring mud.

Practical notes

There are no lions and few of the animals people expect on safari; this is not a big game park. It is small and often done as a half day. Walking safaris cost extra and must be arranged.

Nearby

Mount Meru rises inside it, and Arusha is west.

Key facts