Arusha
National Park
General Information
Striking feature about the Park is that its sandwiched
between the peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount meru. It is one
of the smallest parks in Tanzania and is affectionately considered
to be a little gem. Situated amongst Tanzania's Northern Safari
circuit, it is a 40minute drive from Arusha town.
It covers an area of approximately 137 km square
and was established in 1960. The main distinctive features of the
park are Ngurdoto crater, Momella lakes and Mount Meru from where
one can see Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the clouds. The park
and the town derived their names from the Wa- Arusha people who
have always inhabited the area.
The park overlaps into Maasai territory and hence
most the place names of the park are of Maasai origin.
Getting There
The park is 25km from Arusha town and 35km from Mount Kilimanjaro
making it a short drive from these landmarks.
Major Attraction
The park is infamous for its diverse topography. The main features
are Ngurdoto- remains of a large volcano, Momella lakes and Mount
meru. Wildlife in the park is in abundance. It is believed that
the largest concentration of giraffes in the world lies in Arusha
National Park. Other animals include the colobus monkey, which would
make a good photo entry as they swing from branch to branch. Elephants,
hippos, leopards, hyenas, zebras, antelopes are also some of the
animals that can be sported.
The bird species is almost second to none. It is
estimated there are 400 different species of birds in the park with
the waterfowl being in the lead.
Activities that can be conducted in the park are
mountain climbing especially Mount Meru. The mountain is a dormant
volcano at 14, 990 feet (4, 566m) high. You do not have to be an
expert in climbing but some enthusiasm in hiking would suffice.
The novelty of climbing is in the scenery, which includes the rising
of Mount Kilimanjaro rising above the clouds with its snow- capped
peak in sight. It is highly advisable that when climbing Mt Meru,
a guard should be present to ward off buffalos, which are known
to be vicious.
Vegetation in the park is closely associated with
the three main features of the park. Ngurdoto crater is surrounded
by forest, while the crater floor is swampy. Momella lakes is alkaline.
Mount meru is a cross between lush forests and bare rocks.
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