Arusha National Park

Located in northeastern Tanzania near the city of Arusha and approximately 35 kilometers from Kilimanjaro International Airport, Arusha National Park covers 137 square kilometers (53 square miles). Originally established in 1960 as Ngurdoto Crater National Park to protect its eastern caldera, the park was expanded in 1967 to encompass Mount Meru and was renamed Arusha National Park after the local Waarusha people. Before its official founding, parts of the Momella area were farmed by the Trappe family, whose matriarch donated land to create a game sanctuary that became integrated into the park's boundaries.The park features three distinct ecoregions dominated by dramatic volcanic landscapes. In the center rises Mount Meru, a dormant stratovolcano reaching an elevation of 4,566 meters (14,980 feet), making it the second-highest peak in Tanzania. To the southeast lies the pear-shaped Ngurdoto Crater, a swampy 3-kilometer-wide caldera enclosed by steep forested cliffs. In the northeast, the seven shallow alkaline Momella Lakes exhibit various shades of green and blue due to differing mineral and algal compositions, alongside Lake Longil, the park's sole freshwater lake. Natural landmarks also include Tululusia Waterfall, which drops 28 meters down a soft volcanic gorge.Arusha National Park supports a diverse range of East African wildlife. It is home to Tanzania's largest concentration of giraffes and is the primary park in the northern circuit where visitors can view black-and-white colobus monkeys and blue monkeys. Other inhabitants include Cape buffalo, zebras, warthogs, hippopotamuses, and bushbucks, while large predators like lions are absent. Over 400 bird species populate the park, most notably thousands of lesser and greater flamingos on the Momella Lakes. Due to the low presence of big predators, visitors can engage in guided walking safaris with armed rangers, canoeing on Small Momella Lake, multi-day trekking to the summit of Mount Meru, and traditional game drives.