Safari to Arusha National Park
If you’d like to do a wildlife safari, but don’t want to travel too far, then Arusha National Park is your best option. Not only is it one of the smallest parks in Tanzania, it’s also closest to Arusha.
Your safari leaves The Vijiji Center at 8 am for the 45-minute drive to the park gates. Don’t let the small size of Arusha National Park fool you. It features a diverse landscape ranging from open savannah to acacia scrubland, to rainforest and even alpine conditions on the upper slopes of Mt. Meru. At one end, the park is dominated by Mt Meru, an almost perfect volcanic cone with a spectacular crater, while at the other end you’ll find the Ngurdoto Crater (often dubbed Little Ngorongoro) with its swamp-filled floor. The park has a large giraffe population and you can expect to see water bucks, cape buffalo, zebra, elephants, blue monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, turacos, trogons, and even the occasional lion or leopard. The park also boasts an incredible variety of bird-life, making it a popular stop for birding enthusiasts. Arusha National Park is also a perfect place to get out and stretch your legs – with walking safaris, mountain biking and canoe safaris available within the park (these can be arranged at extra cost – ask us for details).
