Background Information

Arusha National Park is 552 sq km in size and is situated in northern Tanzania, just north east of Arusha town. The reserve offers remarkable natural beauty and protects the slopes of Mount Meru. It is the closest national park to Arusha town and approximately one hour away. Activities in the park include forest walks, beautiful picnic sites and 3-4 day trips to Mount Meru, the fifth highest peak in Africa, which offers good acclimatisation for Mt. Kilimanjaro. The best time to climb Mt Meru is from June to February however it may rain in November. The best views of Kilimanjaro are between December and February. This park has the very unusual backdrop of the town of Arusha. Seeing game feeding and ambling with the Tanzania's bustling city in the background is quite extraordinary. There are no lions in the park, while leopards are seldom seen, making this park more of an on-foot activity location.

What to see and do

Arusha National Park offers beautiful landscapes and diverse animal, bird and plant life. This magnificent park is characterised by waterfalls and lakes, steep cliffs and gorges, swamps and waterholes, providing the ideal sanctuary for animals and plants. Guests can enjoy Africa at its best and experienced guides will accompany guests on walking safaris, canoeing trips on the lakes or exciting game drives. Arusha is home to groups of forest elephant, many buffalo, water and bushbucks, duikers and dik diks. Spotted hyenas, leopards and civets are some of the predator inhabitants. A major attraction is the large number in primates; especially the black and white Colobus and the shining Sykes monkeys, which are very likely to be seen on a game drive or a walk in the park. There are no lions in this park, and leopards are present, but not often spotted. These are elusive cats and do not often come out to hunt until dark. Arusha National Park offers more of a peaceful environment with less of the thrill of big game viewing.

Climate

The main rainy season, or the 'long rains', lasts during March, April and May. Afternoon downpours are the norm, which are heavier and more predictable beside the coast and on the islands. The humidity is high and daily temperatures reach the low-mid 30s (degrees Celsius). The long dry season lasts from June to October, during which time the rainfall is unusual. Temperatures vary hugely with altitude and location, but it's usually a fine, clear sky and sunny weather. During November and December there's another rainy season, which is known as the 'short rains'. These are much lighter than the long rains and less reliable. If it has rained during the short rains, then it normally dries up for a few months in January and February, which is Tanzania's 'short dry season', before starting to rain again in earnest in March.