Arusha Destination Guide

Arusha National Park is the closest to the safari capital of Arusha in comparison to all the other national parks in Tanzania. Despite the closeness, it is often bypassed by tourists, who opt for more famous alternatives. But this park has a unique flavour of its own. Bestowed with grand views of Mount Kilimanjaro and Meru, the Momela lakes and shadowy forests, the Ngurdoto Crater and many varieties of animals, it is just a few hours away from Arusha.

As you enter through the gates of the park, you are greeted by the thick montane forest populated by blue curious monkeys and vibrant trogons and turacos. In fact, the black and white colobus monkeys reside only in this national park. In the middle of this forest stands the Ngurdoto Crater with its sloped, rocky descent leading to a marshy floor alive with herds of warthogs and buffaloes!  

As you go further north, the serene splendour of the Momela Lakes takes over, each lake a different shade of blue or green. The lakes support an assortment of local and migrant waterfowl, and sometimes you can even witness the enthralling sight of thousands of pink flamingos perching on the waters, sharing space with hairy waterbucks that mill around the periphery flaunting their big lyre-shaped horns.

Giraffes sashay across the hills, while zebra herds are seen casually grazing about and pairs of wide-eyed dik-dik are busy in their own movements, as they dart in and out of scrubby bushes. While elephants are scarce here, and there is no lion population, spotted hyenas and leopards are seen creeping about, generally during the early morning hours or late afternoons.

It is during these hours that visitors are most likely to get a glimpse of the snow-capped peaks of Kilimanjaro, when the cloud curtain drops away on the eastern horizon, revealing the peaks that lie only 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the park.

But the park's horizons are truly dominated by Mount Meru, which happens to be the fifth highest in Africa, standing at a height of 4,566 metres (14,990 feet). With its peaks and eastern slopes standing within the park boundaries, Mount Meru offers awe-inspiring views of Kilimanjaro, and also makes for a fulfilling hiking expedition.

This 1262 sq km reserve is situated in north-eastern Tanzania, along the Kenyan border. Located next to Tsavo National Park, Mkomazi Game Reserve welcomes huge herds of oryx, zebras and elephants migrating to the parks in the wet season.

About 78 different kinds of mammals and over 400 bird species make their home in Mkomazi. These include rhinos, elephants, leopard, buffaloes and lions amongst others. The African wild dog which figures in the endangered species list has also been introduced in this park.

The climate here is mostly dry and supports Savannah vegetation.

Legend of Kilimanjaro

Although Meru and Kilimanjaro are only about 750,000 years old, and hence are quite young, geologically speaking, there are many myths surrounding Kilimanjaro in particular. One of these legends is narrated by people who live on the slopes around Moshi, called the Chagga. The story goes that Mawenzi, who was an ancient chief, asked Kibo, his younger brother, to fetch coals to light his pipe (both of these are names of two of Kilimanjaro's peaks). For this Kibo was asked to go to a mighty fire. It is thought that the mighty fire they were referring to is the Stone Age volcanic activity that created Kilimanjaro.

Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro is a must for anyone visiting that area, and holds true even if it is the first time you are ever setting foot on a mountain. If you are physically up to the task and have the money and the time, then don't miss the climb to the highest mountain in Africa, standing really tall at a height of 5,895 metres.

This highest free-standing volcano has been enticing climbers ever since the first time it was conquered in 1889 by Hans Meyer. Back then, he had taken six weeks to reach the top, though now it can be done in just 6 or 7 days (even 5 for the really swift ones). And non-climbers needn't worry much - climbing Mount Kilimanjaro generally does not involve more than trekking along defined routes that go till the summit.

History of discovery

The ancient Greeks were the ones who first described Kilimanjaro as "the great snow mountain". It was then re-discovered by the 15th century Portuguese geographer Fernandes de Encisco, who referred to it as "the Ethiopian Mount Olympus".

Then it stood forgotten for a few hundred years until a German missionary called Johannes Rebmann sighted it again on May 11, 1848. He was ridiculed for reporting snowy mountains on the equator, and many theories were spawned to the effect that the white snow on the mountain was just limestone, crystal and quartz.

The Austrian mountaineer Ludwig Purtscheller and Hans Ludwig Meyer, the German geographer, were the first recorded people to climb the mountain to its summit on October 5, 1899.

All routes lead to Mt. Kilimanjaro

The Marangu Route is most popular among tour operators organising climbs for visitors who are mostly novices when it comes to climbing mountains. Also known as the "Coca Cola" route, it is almost luxurious in terms of trekking routes, with beds in huts, large common dining areas and even solar lighting organised in some huts! Guides are available to lead the way and porters help to carry luggage as you climb up to the peak.

The trek starts at the entrance gate of Marangu Park, and comfortably continues till the final trudge to the peak at Uhuru. Most groups prefer to start from the Kibo hut just after midnight, so that they reach the summit at sunrise, and descend before the clouds take over the scene and hide the magnificent view behind their wilful curtain.


Another route adopted by the more experienced trekkers is the Machame Route, more scenic than Marangu, but also equally tougher. Here, there are no solar heated huts and you will have to make do with camping in tents. This one starts at Machame village, and then coils through some amazing patch of tropical forest, finally reaching the high Afro-Alpine sections. There are also many alternative detours you can take as you go along the way, and for those of you who are the sporty kinds or experienced climbers who are looking to indulge in some technical climbing, Machame is the route to take!

This area includes Tanzania's most stunning mountains, Meru and Kilimanjaro. While Mount Kilimanjaro, at a height of 5895 metres, is the highest mountain in Africa and is quite well known, the charms of Mount Meru are not given as much attention as they deserve. This volcanic mountain offers extensive grasslands, deep forests and an exhilarating climb that would enthral any visitor!

Marangu and Moshi lie at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, bustling with vibrant village life. The town of Arusha lies close by and apart from being one of the fastest expanding towns of Tanzania, it is also an interesting place where you can spend time simply roaming about the wheat, coffee and corn estates surrounding it. Masai villages stand to the north of Arusha town. Arusha is known as Tanzania's safari capital, with lots of travellers headed to Lake Manyara, Serengeti, Arusha National Park and Tarangire making it their starting point.

Imagine a million wild animals rushing together towards the north in an exodus of 3 weeks, accompanied by mating and fight for territory! Only the fittest of the 25 mile long queues of animals survive the trek through waters infested with crocodiles. But the mating also means a population explosion that results in the birth of 8000 calves everyday! And then the cycle of this 1000 km trek begins again.

The Serengeti is the oldest and the most popular national park in Tanzania. It is most famous for the annual migration, when more than two lakh zebras and three lakh Thomson's gazelles join the trek in search of fresh lands for grazing. Apart from this, you get the exciting chance to witness the wildlife in all its glory as you watch thousands of impalas, elands, kongonis, topis and Grant's gazelles, and small groups of giraffes and elephants and huge herds of buffaloes living their daily life.

Everywhere in Serengeti, you can see nature's law operating at its very best. Watch the golden mane lion prides as they feast on smaller animals. Lone leopards hang about the acacia trees along the Seronera River, while cheetahs in groups stalk the south-eastern plains. Along with the spotted hyena and many other rare predators like the beautiful serval cat and the insectivorous aardwolf, uniquely, all the three jackal species of Africa thrive here.

Apart from the large mammals, all kinds of insects and birds live here too. There are hundred varieties of dung beetles, and everything from rock hyraxes to fancifully coloured agama lizards crawling the surfaces of the park's granite koppies.

More than 500 species of birds live in Serengeti, right from the strange secretary bird of the open grassland and the tall ostrich to black eagles seen gracefully soaring over Lobo Hills.

But apart from the thrill of watching the animals and the birds in their natural habitat, what you also feel is a sense of freedom, surrounded by the open space of the Savannah stretching on endlessly. Green gardens full of wildflowers, wooded hills, termite mounds towering to the open sky and the acacia woodlands all add to the bewitching charm of the park.

And the wonder of it all is that even though this park is the most popular in Tanzania, with so many flocking to it everyday, when you watch the lion masterfully corner and devour its prey, it is as if only you and your friends are there to witness this rare sight.

The Ngorongoro Conservation Area in northern Tanzania is often considered the eighth wonder of the world. One of the greatest sights in the world, Ngorongoro Crater with its thriving wildlife and surreal setting never fails to fascinate any visitor. Stretching over some 8,300 sq kilometres, it offers a mixture of all kinds of elements - from landscapes and archaeology to vibrant people and exotic wildlife. The extensive grasslands, mountains, volcanoes and forests that form a part of this unmatchable landscape are home to a great number and variety of animals, and also to the inimitable Masai folk.

It borders the Serengeti National Park on the west and north. Arusha is just a few hours away to the east, seen at the foot of Mt. Meru. Arusha is the gateway through which one approaches the northern parks and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area.  

As you trek up to the peak of Mt. Meru, you first navigate the forested Savannah, encountering a lot of giraffes and buffaloes. As you climb up the mountain, Spanish moss soaked forests lit with red-hot pokers make way for open grassland covered with thorny giant lobelias. The landscape is dotted with blooming flowers thriving in this Alpine desert. Finally one reaches the rocky summit and is rewarded with a divine view of Kilimanjaro, aflame in the sunrise.