How to Get to Arusha National Park

How to Get to Arusha National Park : Arusha National Park Gate and Momella Gate are the two entrances to the park. The main gate of the park is about 25 kilometres away from Arusha town, making it conveniently accessible by road. It takes roughly forty minutes to drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport to the main gate from the town of Arusha and an hour from there. Due to the park’s tiny size, it can be explored in a half-day excursion. Alternatively, a full day visit with a picnic lunch can be made for a more leisurely and enjoyable Tanzania safari tour of the park.

 Arusha National Park in Tanzania is located close to the town of Arusha. The park was established to encompass Mount Meru, the second-highest peak after Mount Kilimanjaro. The height of Mount Meru  is 4566 meters above sea level. Established in 1960, the park spans 137 square kilometres and is overseen by the Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA). During Mount Meru’s most recent eruption, volcanic activity created the stunning scenes and landscapes found in the park. Only 60 kilometres separate Arusha National Park from Mount Kilimanjaro, which provides the park’s eastern background. The distance between Kilimanjaro International Airport and Arusha National Park is 35 kilometres for the former and 58 kilometres for the latter. With the park only a short drive away, there are plenty of lodging options, including opulent hotels, reasonably priced lodging, and hostels. Because Arusha National Park is home to the greatest giraffe population, it is truly unique. The opportunity to see black and white colobus monkeys as well as the ancient fig trees with their crystal clear water in the streams that flow through the highlands are two of Arusha National Park’s other significant draws.

Mount Meru

Mount Meru is a stratovolcano which is located 70 km west of Mount Kilimanjaro. At has a height of 14,968 feet, or 4562 meters. When the weather is right you can clearly see Mount Kilimanjaro  Africa’s tallest mountain. The most recent eruption happened in 1910, specifically a period between October and December. In 1904, Fritz Jáger became the first person to ascend it. The Momela route, which offers trekking access to the summit, passes through the Momella gate on the eastern side. It is the focal point of the park and the main reason tourists come to Arusha. The terrain of Mount meru is remarkable with good soil that sustain a forest and home to several wildlife species. Many species of animals can be found in the park’s savannah and forest areas, including blue and black primates, black and white colobus monkeys, infrequently spotted leopards, and a great variety of birds.

The four-day walk on Mount Meru begins at Momella Gate and ends at Miriakamba Hut, taking four to six hours. The following day’s walk takes three to five hours and begins from the Miriakamba Hut and ends at the Saddle Hut. The climbers start in Saddle Hut, travel to the top, and then return to Miriakamba Hut. The walk begins on the final day from Miriakamba Hut and ends at Momella Gate. On a journey to Tanzania, the cost of climbing Mount Meru is also reasonable, which is advantageous for budget-conscious tourists who would want to go hiking while in Tanzania. The best months to walk Mount Meru are from June to October during the dry season, as well as January.

Momella Lakes

Arusha National Park is where you will find the seven little lakes collectively referred to as Momela Lakes. These lakes are called Big Momela, Little Momela, Kusare, Risheteni, Lekandiro, Tulusia, and El Kekhotoito. The Meru District in  Arusha region Tanzania is where you will find Momela Village, which is the gateway of the region. All of the lakes have alkaline features as a result of the volcanic material created by the eruption of Mount Meru. Animals are unable to drink the water from the alkaline water, yet zebras are commonly spotted grazing around the lakes. The lakes in Arusha National Park eastern region are its main attractions.

Wildlife

On comparison to other national parks on Tanzania’s northern circuit, this park is smaller than others, meaning it has fewer land and, thus, less wildlife. The park is gratifying despite its small because of the vast array of animals it contains, which includes elephants, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, warthogs, giraffes, zebras, cape buffaloes, leopards, and occasionally spotted leopards.

Birdwatching

Arusha National Park has over 400 kinds of birds in such a tiny park, the park’s wooded portions are a great place to go birdwatching. The easy-to-spot Narina and bar-tailed trogons are the park’s highlights. They are more visible here in the Arusha National Park than they are along any other tourist route. The park is home to a variety of birds species, such as the African fish eagle, African olive pigeon, bearded vulture, black saw wing, Egyptian goose, small grepe, and cinnamon Among the species are the great crested grebe, the narina and bar-tailed trogons, the southern pochard, the tawny eagle, the Verreaux’s Eagle, the silvery-cheecked hornbill, the scaly francolin, the red-fronted parrot, the peregrine falcons, and the Hartlaub’s turaco.

Ngurdoto Crater

This volcanic crater is located in Tanzania’s Meru District, near Arusha. The Ngurdoto Crater is 100 meters deep and has a maximum width of 3.6 km. The crater has a marsh on its floor and a forest surrounding it. Within the Arusha National Park, the Ngurdoto Crater is the caldera of an extinct volcano. It is also referred to as “Little Ngorongoro” because, similar to Ngorongoro, it has evolved into a type of “reserve within the reserve” over time.

The 3.6 km wide and 100 m deep Ngurdoto Crater is a volcanic crater in the Arusha Region. It is shaped like a basin with extremely steep walls and is covered in dense rainforest. The crater floor is covered in marshy grassland and is home to numerous animal species, including buffalo, warthogs, elephants, monkeys, baboons, leopards, and spotted hyenas.

The Best time to visit Arusha National Park

The brief rainy season is the ideal time to visit Arusha National Park since it allows you to see the animals up close, especially near the water holes, and minimises rainfall. June through October are the most ideal months to visit. At this time of year, the park is also at its coldest and there are comparatively less insects. The animals gather near freshwater sources during this season because the park’s foliage cover is a little bit thinner and there is less water accessible. In addition to helping travellers take outstanding animal images for a safari experience they won’t soon forget, this makes it easier for them to determine their likely position during day visits.