The park’s biggest draws are its two towering landmarks. Mount Meru, Tanzania’s second-highest peak, offers a spectacular and challenging climb through diverse ecosystems, rewarding trekkers with unparalleled views of Kilimanjaro. The Ngurdoto Crater, often referred to as the ‘Little Ngorongoro,’ is a steep-sided volcanic caldera teeming with wildlife, creating a natural amphitheater for game viewing.

Beyond these giants, Arusha National Park is home to an unexpected array of wildlife—including giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, warthogs, and colobus monkeys. It’s one of the few places in northern Tanzania where you can easily see these playful, black-and-white monkeys. While elephants are rare and lions are scarce, the park is a birdwatcher’s paradise with over 400 species of birds. Whether you’re canoeing on the Momella Lakes, spotting flocks of flamingos, or watching a giraffe silhouetted against the slopes of Meru, every activity brings a peaceful discovery.

The park is divided into three distinct regions:

• Ngurdoto Crater: A forest-fringed, inaccessible crater floor bustling with herds of buffalo and elephants.

• The Momella Lakes: A series of seven picturesque, alkaline lakes, each with a different color, fed by underground streams and home to waterbirds and flamingos.

• Mount Meru: A majestic volcano whose fertile slopes are covered in montane forest, leading up to an alpine desert and ash cone.