National Parks Archives - ree loves tanzania

What’s there to do in Arusha National Park?

If you’re planning to visit Northern Tanzania and are considering skipping Arusha National Park, I want to change your mind! Put Arusha National Park on your visit list and you will not be disappointed.

Arusha National Park is small and it is close to Arusha town. For whatever reason, visitors to Tanzania often associate the small area of the park with being boring, having few animals and lack of activities. They also get the idea that being close in proximity to Arusha town is a drawback that means this park doesn’t offer adventure or interest like the more distant Serengeti National Park.

None of these associations are accurate – I’ll explain why.

I think Arusha National Park is the most underrated park in the Northern Circuit. It’s not as grand as the Serengeti, it doesn’t get the attention of Ngorongoro Crater (which is in a conservation area, not a National Park, FYI). But, it is serene and lovely. It’s near Arusha town and is perfect for a simple day trip or weekend camping.

What it is Not

If you compare Arusha National Park to other parks or nature areas of Tanzania then you are going to miss out on what this park DOES offer. Stop expecting the giant baobab trees and herds of elephants found in Tarangire National Park; don’t compare the great migration of Serengeti or the wilderness of Lake Natron, here.

The key is that every national park offers something unique, and that is why they have been designated as conservation areas, nature reserves or national parks. If they all offered the same exact experience THAT would become boring and it would make more sense to have a single, giant park instead of unique areas.

If you’re ready to stop comparing Arusha National Park to other locations, then learn about some of the cool features of this small park.

Location

Arusha National Park is approximately 1 hr drive from Arusha town. This means it’s a quick drive and you don’t need to have an early morning!

From our house, it is about 40 minutes from our driveway to the park gate. When we visit Arusha National Park, we avoid the early 6 am wake-up and departure that characterizes so many safaris in Tanzania. Instead, we sleep in and a have a leisurely breakfast. Often, we depart for the park around 9:30 am, excited but also relaxed.

Park Features

Peaceful Arusha National Park does not have lions. The most dangerous predator in the park is the careful, secretive leopard.
The mood of the whole park is completely different because of the absence of lions; the park feels so peaceful. You can visibly see that the herds of zebras are at ease.

Momella Lakes There are two large crater lakes that host flamingos (and was the first place I ever saw a WHITE flamingo. I thought they were always pink?!?!?) and plenty of other birdlife.

Ngorondoto Crater An eruption of the volcano created this crater, where animals still live today. It’s not as large or biologically-dense as Ngorongoro Crater, but it is beautiful and offers visitors lots of animal sightings for great photo ops.

Mount Meru Arusha National Park is the home of Mount Meru, a volcanic peak that last erupted in 1910. It’s considered to possibly be a dormant volcano, but we can’t be sure just yet, we have to give it some more time.

Mt Meru height: 14,980 ft. Mt Kilimanjaro height: 19,340 ft.

Don’t underestimate Mount Meru – it is the 5th highest mountain in Africa, and often considered to be a more difficult summit than its big brother, Kilimanjaro.

It is believed that at one time, Mt Meru was as high (if not slightly higher) than Mt Kilimanjaro, but an eruption blew off the top of it, making it smaller. Visitors to Arusha National Park can actually see the shape of the cone and visualize how massive the mountain was at one time. Ash and debris found around the Mount Kilimanjaro area was studied and found to actually be from Mount Meru, not Kilimanjaro, for an understanding of how big of an eruption Mt Meru caused.

Photo of Giraffe in Arusha National Park — Photo by Ree Pashley

It is said that Arusha National Park offers a taste of all the northern circuit: a small serengeti, a crater that mimics Ngorongoro Crater, lakes full of flamingoes and even a volcanic mountain that once rivaled Kilimanjaro. If you’re short on time, Arusha National Park is the best way to experience a bit of all the amazing natural areas of northern Tanzania, in one, single place.

No, it cannot replace the experiences you would have in those parks. But, if you don’t have 7 days to visit Ngorongoro Crater, the Serengeti, Tarangire and Manyara National Parks, then it’s an excellent way to spend just one day and get a flavor for what Tanzania is all about!

** Also, the last time we went to Arusha National Park as a family for a game drive, I saw more giraffes than I have ever seen at any other park! Within a span of 2 hours we saw at least 20 giraffes, who were unafraid of us and came very close to our vehicle. What incredible memories to make with my kiddos!

Activities

Because there are no lions, a great option is to go on a walking safari through the open plains.

I went on a walking safari with my mother when she came to visit. I couldn’t believe how close were were able to get to a heard of giraffe! The majestic animals saw us, but continued munching on their leafy lunch. We kept stopping, worried about getting ‘too close’, but our guide continued forward until the giraffes seemed uncomfortable.
We didn’t go close to the herds of cape buffalo (thankfully!) but it was a thrilling experience to be walking in nature, beside wild animals that most people only see in zoos.
We also took a few steps up the beginning Mount Meru Trek, just so we could brag about ‘hiking part of Mount Meru’.
The next year, I really did climb Mount Meru and it was awesome! Read about my experience climbing this beautiful mountain.
Walk to Tululusia Waterfall. It is such a pleasant, beautiful walk to reach the waterfall.
I love my mom, but she isn’t what we might call especially fit, and she is older, too. She had no trouble completing the hike. It could be done with kids or seniors, no problem!
Canoeing on the Momella Lakes. If you’re going to canoe in Tanzania, make it in the shadow of Mount Meru.
Camping I have a friend who adores camping in Arusha National Park. It’s near to town, in case of emergency or a forgotten essential item. It doesn’t require a long drive which makes travel with kids seems so much more hectic, too.
Horseback riding. Another great thing about no lions in Arusha National Park – you can go on trail rides or overnight horsepacking trips! There are two companies offering day or overnight horseback safaris through Arusha National Park. I have gone on day rides with Kazkazi and they are excellent! The horses are well-trained, the guides knowledgeable and well-prepared.

Some pretty epic adventures for a park that many travelers assume will be boring, huh?

Fees

Entrance fees 59.00 USD for adults

—- compare that to 82.00 USD for Kilimanjaro National Park or Serengeti. That’s why I say it’s a great day-trip.

Camping $70.80 USD – high season, $59.00 USD – low season

Walking Safari – $31.00 USD (for a group of up to 4 pp, you may need another ranger for more people). It is highly recommended to tip the ranger at the end of the walk, too.

—- I recommend doing the walking safari in the morning, to avoid the heat of the day. It also breaks up the game drive so you’re not sitting in a car the whole day, it’s a nice chance to stretch your legs.

—- You can select how long you want to walk, we chose a 1.5 hr slow walk. But if we go with our teen boys who are full of energy, we would make that a 2 hr walk and go further up the Meru trail.

If you’re looking to go on a safari in East Africa, you have probably seen ‘The Big Five’ advertised. Safari operators will promise they can take you to see The Big Five, or guarantee this or that National Park will deliver sightings. But sometimes, they don’t tell you what The Big Five are, or how they got this name.

The Big Five Are Not:

the largest animals in Africa
the most endangered animals in Africa
the biggest predators in Africa
the most difficult to spot animals in Africa

The Big Five are the top five most dangerous animals in Africa to hunt on foot. Yep, the term comes from trophy hunting — which Ree Loves Tanzania is NOT a big fan of.
Photography safaris – yes! Hunting safaris – big NO.

The Big Five are the
elephant, rhinoceros, lion, leopard and cape buffalo.

Elephant

Often referred to as “gentle giants”, elephants are not the first animal that comes to mind when I think “dangerous”. But, then I remember how they are in real-life, when I’ve viewed them on safari.

African Elephants are MASSIVE. You cannot overestimate their size, or over-describe these enormous animals. They are the largest land mammal, with legs as thick as tree trunks, and bodies larger than safari cars. If threatened, they may be one of the most terrifying things to behold. They are fiercely protective of their young. They do not need sharp teeth to defend themselves, they have body weight, big feet and dangerous tusks.

However, an unthreatened elephant? An elephant who is relaxed, enjoying lunch in the shade of trees in Manyara National Park? Or leisurely wading in the watering holes of Tarangire National Park? That is a beautiful, powerful animal that can take your breath away.

photo of one elephant in Manyara National Park, walking in grass with trees behind — Elephant in Manyara National Park, Tanzania.
Photo by Ree Pashley

elephant facts

they are matriarchal – meaning the herds are female-led
an adult male can weigh as much as 6 tons!
there are two species of elephants: African and Asian. Other sub-species include forest elephants and savannah elephants.
African elephants are easily distinguished by their ears – which are, interestingly, in the shape of the African continent
according to WWF, almost 90% of all African elephants have been wiped out, due mostly to poaching and climate change.

Learn about a local program that is actively working to save elephants in Tanzania.

Rhinoceros

Rhinos have a distinct prehistoric look about them; their thick skin, oddly-placed horns and wide nostrils always remind me of dinosaurs. Rhinos are not my favorite of all the animals, but the first time I went on safari I was ecstatic to see a rhino – I rode that high all day, thrilled to see such a rare creature in the wild. Because they are fewer, more elusive, and difficult to spot, its especially exciting when you do see one in the wild.

black and white photo of an African black Rhino, side view featuring both horns — Photo by Photos By Beks on Unsplash

rhinoceros facts

there are 2 types of African rhinos and 3 types of Asian ones.
African rhinos are Black rhinos and White rhinos, but the names are a result of confused English settlers – both types are actually grey in color.
you’ll probably see then alone, but they tent to meet up with other rhinos around watering holes at night.
unicorns do exist! 2 species of Asian rhinos are one-horned, and absolutely ** magical **.
rhinos have bad eyesight. There are countless children’s stories in Tanzania about the rhino who needs glasses, or put his horns on wrong because he couldn’t see well, but the basis for these fictional tales is accurate, these guys DO have poor vision.

Lion

It doesn’t require much imagination to see why lions are in The Big Five, these guys are big, majestic and even a little scary – even if you are safely inside a safari car. In Tanzania, there are unique Tree Climbing Lions in Manyara National Park, and a pride that permanently resides in Ngorongoro Crater. Years ago, the prides in Serengeti National Park got so big that they became worrisome, and some members were moved to other parks to help control the lion population.

lion facts

female lions are the hunters. While they are out, the male lions supervise the young.
lions are the only big cats that reside in groups in the wild
you can tell the age of an adult male by his mane; the longer and darker the hair of the mane, the older he is.
lions are binge eaters – they feast on prey one day, and then may go two days without food entirely
in Ngorongoro Crater, the resident herds of wildebeest and zebra mean easy pickings for the lions. It is common to see lions sleeping in the grass with herds leisurely grazing all around. Since lions don’t eat every day, even the prey can relax sometimes.

Leopard

Leopards are one of the more difficult animals to spot while on safari. An expert predator, they nimbly climb trees and camouflage perfectly with their surroundings. I think they are the most beautiful of all the big cats, but I wouldn’t one to meet one while on the prowl. I can certainly understand why they would be dangerous to hunt.

leopard facts

leopards prefer to spend most of their time in trees – including when eating their prey. They carry carcasses up into trees to keep other predators from stealing their meal
leopards can purr to show they are happy or satisfied
like most cats, leopards are nocturnal and do most of their hunting at night
leopards are often confused with cheetahs. There are two easy ways to tell the two apart: spots and eyes. Spots- cheetahs have dots, while leopards have markings called rosettes. Eyes – cheetahs have distinct black tear marks around and down from their eyes, leopards do not.
they are not picky eaters, and have been known to eat just about anything – from porcupines, to monkeys – even snakes!

Cape Buffalo

Please don’t confuse Cape Buffalo with Asia’s Water Buffalo, they may be cousins, but these guys are bigger and more fierce. They have some resemblance to cows, and indeed are part o the bovine family, but don’t even think about milking one of these guys! Of all the animals listed in The Big Five, Cape Buffalo have a reputation for remembering and tracking down and charging any hunters who have threatened them.

These guys are big. They don’t go down with one, or even two bullets, and they do not forget the ones who tried to kill them and they will seek revenge. Which is why they have been given the nickname, “The Mafia” – they don’t forget and they do not forgive.

Photo of a Cape Buffalo staring straight ahead

cape buffalo facts

they are great swimmers
you’ll probably see them with an oxpecker bird on their back. The birds eat ticks and insects off the buffalo (thus ridding them of parasites), and the buffalo happily obliges to feed the oxpecker. This is a classic ‘symbiotic relationship’ between animals.
older bulls ‘retire’ and spend time on their own, away from a herd just relaxing and wading in mud. They are called “Dagga Boys”
a group of buffalo have several names: herd, gang or even an obstinacy.
they are one of the most dangerous of all The Big Five, because they seek revenge and they give no warning signal before attacking. Hunters who have used traps to ensnare Cape Buffalo have reported the buffalo feigned death, only to leap up and tramped the hunters when they started to open the trap.
These guys are intelligent! so, watch them from afar and take photos, no gunshots.

While trophy hunting has greatly declined across the continent, the name ‘The Big Five’ has stuck. No matter where the term originated, these five are some of the most impressive animals in the world.
I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t tremble a little when they see an adult elephant up close, or catch their breath when they spy a leopard with their own eyes. Even Cape Buffalo have a certain elegance to them, especially if you take a walking safari in Arusha National Park with them grazing just a few hundred meters away.

The Big Five of Africa are an impressive bunch and definitely worth getting a shot of – with your camera, of course.

Tag: National Parks

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