Arusha
National Park: Africa Natural Safari
AFRICA
NATURAL SAFARI (The best tour company in Tanzania)
Specialized
in: Wildlife safaris, Cultural tourism,
and Beach holidays and
Mountain
climbing
Contact
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Arusha National Park
Size: 552 km²
Established: 1960
Arusha stands out among the parks of
the Northern Safari Circuit. While this relatively small park doesn’t have the
game viewing of its famous neighbors, it does offer spectacular scenery, a wide
range of habitats, some 400 species of birds, the black-and-white colobus
monkey and the park’s highlight – Mount Meru. The stratovolcano peaks at an
elevation of 4 566 metres making it Africa’s fifth tallest mountain. Mount Meru
dominates the landscape of Arusha National Park and offers great opportunities
for hikers. From the peak hikers will enjoy the best views of the neighbouring
Mount Kilimanjaro.
At the foot of Mount Meru the Momela
Lakes are filled with water birds, while giraffe and zebra can be seen in the
grassy hills. The montane forests are alive with monkeys and birds, while the
Ngurdoto Crater protects a marshy floor that attracts large herds of buffalo
and warthog. The alpine desert near the peak is home to some unique evergreen
flowers.
Wildlife
Arusha offers visitors some curious
creatures such as the shaggy-coated waterbuck and black-and-white colobus
monkeys. Elephant and leopard are hard to spot in the park, while giraffe and
buffalo are common sights in Arusha. Klipspringer can be seen on the higher
slopes of Mount Meru and blue monkeys are the curious inhabitants of the
montane forests. Hyenas can be seen in the early morning or late afternoon
while dik-dik hides in the shrub.
The diversity of habitats attracts a
large number of birds. Raptors circle above the crags of Mount Meru, while the
alkaline Momela Lakes are home to flamingos and waterfowl. The forests have
colourful inhabitants such as trogons and turacos. Overall Arusha National Park
is home to about 400 bird species.
Activities
Arusha is has a number of scenic
picnic sites and is a great destination for hiking. While the climb to the 4
568 metre peak of Mount Meru is a multi-day challenge, there are many rewarding
day-hikes on the bottom slopes. The abundant birdlife along with picturesque
waterfalls make walks in the forests particularly rewarding.
The ascent of Mount Meru is a scenic
climb that passes through magical forests on the bottom slopes and eventually
emerges into the alpine desert with some of the best views of Mount Kilimanjaro
and the surrounding landscape. The climb takes three to four days and is known
as a good preparation and acclimatization for Kilimanjaro.
The main attractions – Mount Meru,
Ngurdoto Crater and the Momela Lakes can be seen within a day.
For more information
visitwww.africanaturaltours.com
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