Tourist Attractions in Arusha National Park

Tourist Attractions in Arusha National Park: Arusha national park is one of the top-ranked Tanzania safari destinations found in the northern safari circuit of Tanzania, Arusha national park is located in the North-Eastern Tanzania close to Arusha town and adjacent to the Kenya border. This park is also 58 kilometers from Moshi, 35 kilometers from Kilimanjaro national park and borders Kilimanjaro national park to the east and both Serengeti national park and Ngorongoro conservation area to West.

Arusha national park is the second oldest park in Tanzania established in 1960 and it covers an area of 5523 square kilometers encompassing the magnificent Mount Meru the second tallest mountain in Tanzania and offer rewarding Tanzania mountain climbing safaris. Arusha national park is composed a very scenic landscape with three distinct areas that are the Meru crater funneling the Jekukumia river in the west , Ngurdoto crater in the south-East and the shallow alkaline Momella lakes with varying algae colors in the north east.

Arusha national park is an iconic Tanzania safari destination gifted with many tourists attractions making exploring of the park during your Tanzania safari worthy your time, tourist attraction in Arusha national park include

Wildlife

Arusha national park is ranked among the best destination to visit during a Tanzania wildlife safari in the northern safari circuit of Tanzania, the park is a home to a variety of wildlife species found in the various regions of the park such as the Ngurdoto crater (Little Ngorongoro), along the banks of Momella lakes, little Serengeti (Serengeti Ndogo) and Ujambo Wa Mbogo “buffalos glade”. Animals found in Arusha national park include giraffes, waterbucks, dik-diks, duikers, zebras, leopards, lion, spotted hyenas, elephants, bush pigs, red duikers, warthogs, hippos, black and white colobus monkeys, blue monkeys among others.

Birds

Arusha national park is an outstanding Tanzania birding safari destination boosting over 400 bird species recorded to live in the park, the birds in the park include forest species, raptors, water birds and migratory bird species. Birds found in Arusha national park include pink hued flamingoes, African fish eagle, African olive pigeon, Augur buzzard, Bar-tailed trogon, Bearded vulture, Black saw-wing, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Egyptian goose, Great crested grebe, Hammerkops, bronzy sunbirs, pied Avocet, red billed oxpeckers, great headed bush shrikes, pelicans, white browed coucals, golden eagles, yellow billed storks, Hartlaub’s turaco, Little grebe, Narina trogon, Peregrine falcon, Red-fronted parrot, Scaly francolin, Silvery-cheeked hornbill, Southern Pochard, Tawny eagle, Verreaux’s eagle among others

Some of the remarkable bird species in Arusha national park are the flamingoes which are spread along the Momela lakes.

Mount Meru

Mount Meru is magnificent physical feature and a landmark standing in the centre of Arusha national park and lies in the east of the Great Rift Valley, Mount Meru is an active volcano formed as a result of volcanic eruption standing at the height of 4,566 meters above the sea level thus being the second tallest mountain in Tanzania. Mount Meru features a base of 20 kilometers at 2000 meters and some of its walls at 2500 meters have broken away.

is said to have been tallest volcano in Tanzania but because of the volcanic eruption its top broke off leaving behind a caldera, the volcano last erupted in 1910.

Mount Meru offers adventurous Tanzania mountain climbing safari, climbing Mount Meru is a very scenic and rewarding experience involving a dramatic walk along the knife-edge of the crater rim.

Momela Lakes

Momela Lakes are a chain of lakes found in northeast region of Arusha national park and a highlight for Tanzania tours in the park, this chain of lakes consists of 7 spectacular alkaline lakes formed as a result of volcanic debris from a huge explosion which blew away the top of Mount Meru about 250,000 years ago. Momela lakes are a great sites for Tanzania birding safaris as they are a habitant for numerous species of birds including the migrant greater pink flamingoes, Momela lakes include Big Momela, small Momela, El Kekhotoito, Kusare, Rishateni, Lekandiro and Tulusia. Momela lakes are fed by water from underground spring water and each lake has different water color ranging from green to turquoise. The different color of the lakes is because of the different mineral content in each lake, each lake has its own mineral composition making them different from each other and also different algae growing on the lakes.

Momela lakes attract a large population of birds such as herons, shoe bill, pink flamingoes, Egyptian geese, guinea fowls, African fish eagles, African jacanas among others.

The Ngurdoto Crater and the small Serengeti

The Ngurdoto crater is a magnificent feature in Arusha national park and one of the five beautiful volcanic calderas found in the northern region of Tanzania of Arusha together with Ngorongoro, Empakaai, Maasai and Olmoti. Ngurdoto crater is an extinct volcano also referred to as “Little Ngorongoro” because of its striking resemblance to the Ngorongoro crater, the crater is of 3.2 kilometers in diameters and 300 meters in depth. The crater is shaped like a basin and features very steep walls and covered with dense rainforests, the floor of the crater is dominated by marshy grasslands inhabiting buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, antelopes, monkeys, baboons, leopards, spotted hyenas, shy red duiker, kirk dik-diks and many bird species such as herons, head hammer, spur winged goose, hornbill, bee-eaters, Turacos among others.

Ngurdoto crater is an ideal site to visit during Tanzania Wildlife safari and unlike Ngorongoro crater which it resembles, the floor of Ngurdoto crater is soft making it impossible and unsuitable for driving and the crater is only explored on walking safaris. Exploring Ngurdoto crater is done on walking safari and you reach the crater using a 4X4 safari vehicle to reach to the edge of the caldera which is surrounded by dense rainforest, walking through the Ngurdoto crater is an opportunity to watch many animals and birds.

Small Serengeti is a beautiful site for Tanzania wildlife safaris, small Serengeti is a small savannah area also known as Serengeti Ndogo. This area is a habitat for many animals such as giraffes, buffaloes, plain zebras and these can be seen on game viewing safari in Arusha national park.

Ujambo Wa Mbogo

Ujambo Wa Mbogo translated as “the buffalo’s glade” is a very striking tourist attraction in Arusha national park located in the northeastern region of the park, a short distance west of the Momela gate and on the foothills of Mount Meru. Ujambo Wa Mbogo is an ideal site for Tanzania walking safaris in the park, Ujambo Wa Mbogo is a large natural glade consisting of marsh, bushes and streams serving as feeding ground for numerous species of animals such as buffaloes, giraffes, warthogs among others. The buffaloes are the highlight animals found in this site seen feeding on the long grasses of the area making it shorter, warthogs are also seen feeding in the pasture fields while resting on their knees.

Ujambo Wa Mbogo can be included on your Tanzania hiking safaris to Tululusia waterfalls.

Fig Tree Arch

Fig Tree Arch in Arusha national park is an arch-shaped tree with an arch large enough for a tree or an elephant to pass through, fig tree is a spectacular photo point in Arusha national park offering many angles of amazing pictures such as standing under it or with your head of your safari vehicle while under the tree. Fig Tree grew from parasitic tree dropped by foraging birds and it is visited while on a Tanzania hiking safari to the Tululusia waterfalls.