Located in northeastern Tanzania, between Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, Arusha National Park is one of the least known parks in the country. Despite its relatively small size (137 km²), it offers an impressive variety of landscapes and wildlife, making it an ideal choice for a first safari with children, either by car or on foot.
Is it worthwhile to go on safari in Arusha?
This is the question that many travelers ask us when they organize their trip to Tanzania with us. The answer is that it depends on the length of the trip, the budget and the parks you want to visit.
As a general rule, we recommend visiting Arusha if:
- You stay at least 2-3 days in one of our lodges very close to the entrance of the Park, visiting NGO projects (where your travel money goes), doing activities in a non-touristy area and finally spending a day or half day in Arusha.
- If you do a 3-day safari (Tarangire, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara) and you want to add a fourth day of Safari.
- If you like walking and want to live the experience of a walking safari in the park.
We do not recommend if:
- You do a 5-day safari (including the Serengeti).
- You don’t like to walk or you don’t want to do a walking safari.
- There are limitations of days or budget (park entrance fees are 59 USD per adult and if you want to walk inside the park you have to pay another special permit plus the cost of the ranger accompanying you).
What can we see in Arusha National Park?
- Wildlife: In general, in Arusha no predators are seen, but many giraffes, monkeys, zebras, antelopes, buffaloes etc… In theory there are leopards, but these hide in the mountains and are very difficult to see if not almost impossible.
- Mount Meru: At 4,566 meters, it is the second highest mountain in Tanzania. Ideal for hiking and less crowded ascents than Kilimanjaro.
- Momella Lakes: A group of alkaline lakes where (depending on the season) pink flamingos, hippopotamuses and numerous bird species can be observed.
- Ngurdoto Crater: Known as the “little Ngorongoro”, this volcanic crater offers spectacular panoramic views and is home to buffalo, giraffe and antelope.
Recommended activities in the Arusha National Park
When we did the safari in Arusha National Park, in the morning we did the safari by car, all morning, had lunch, and in the afternoon we did the walking safari with a ranger. This allowed us to do the walking safari with much more tranquility since most people we saw that they did it when entering the park. I sincerely believe that we liked doing the safari better because we did it practically alone, with no one else but the animals and our ranger who accompanied us during the 1.5 hour walk.
There is the option of doing a 4 hour hike, and therefore surely much more interesting, but going with our 2 year old daughter, we decided to do the short route.
Another activity that can be done is canoeing on Momella Lake.
Best time to visit Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park is a fairly green park as it is in a rainier area than other parts of Tanzania. That makes it best to go during the dry months, from June to October and from December to early May, when conditions are perfect for safaris, trekking and bird watching.
When did we go? We did the Arusha safari in January, and it was a bit of a rainy day, the threat of rain was on us all day and luckily, in the afternoon we were able to do our walking safari in peace.
Practical tips and pricing
Being very close to Arusha and especially to the heart of our travel agency, it is very quick to access the park (10 minutes by car and 40 minutes by car from Arusha city). Normally the Safari in Arusha National Park is the first safari that travelers do, as it is the one that is closer and we will not see the big predators such as lions or cheetahs etc. .
The entrance fee is 59$ / per adult. To this you have to add the price of the car and the guide that accompanies you (about 250 usd or 300 usd per car). If you also want to do a walking safari, you must add $ 24 per adult and $ 24 for a ranger (this cost is divided among the whole group). The good news is that children pay much less (about half the price) and if they are under 5 years old they have free access.
More info here: Arusha Park Fees.
Why visit Arusha National Park with Triptohelp.org?
If you are looking for an authentic safari, less crowded and specially adapted for families with children, Arusha National Park is the ideal choice. With Triptohelp.org you will enjoy a responsible, supportive and committed trip with local communities, guaranteeing a safe, educational and nature-filled experience.
If you want to visit Tanzania and you want us to organize your trip, private and with positive impact on the territory, write us a whatsapp or an email and we will answer you as soon as possible.