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NGULI guests photographing a giraffe in Arusha National Park
Home / Destinations / Arusha National Park
Tanzania's Most Accessible Park

Arusha National Park, right on your doorstep.

Giraffe, zebra, buffalo, the Momella Lakes and Mount Meru's slopes — all within an hour of Arusha, and one of the only parks in Tanzania where walking and canoe safaris are both allowed.

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Location
Just outside Arusha town
Size
≈552 km²
Best For
A quick, easy safari day
Known For
Momella Lakes, walking safaris
Overview

Arusha National Park

Arusha National Park is Tanzania's most underrated park — overlooked mainly because it's so close to town that visitors assume it can't compare to the Serengeti. It has no lions, but it has almost everything else: giraffe, zebra, buffalo, colobus monkey, flamingo-dotted Momella Lakes, and the slopes of Mount Meru rising behind it all.

  • One of very few Tanzanian parks permitting walking safaris
  • Canoe safaris on the Momella Lakes, alongside hippo and waterbirds
  • Easy day-trip distance from Arusha town
  • A superb, low-key add-on before or after Kilimanjaro or Mount Meru
NGULI guests photographing a giraffe in Arusha National Park
Wildlife & Highlights

What to expect

Walking Safaris

Armed ranger-guided walks bring you closer to giraffe, buffalo and colobus monkey than a vehicle ever could.

Momella Lakes

A chain of shallow alkaline lakes, often dotted with flamingo and other waterbirds, explorable by canoe.

Ngurdoto Crater

A smaller "mini-Ngorongoro" viewable from rim viewpoints, home to buffalo herds.

Best Time To Visit

When to go

Arusha National Park is a good year-round destination, since it's usually visited as a single, self-contained day rather than timed around seasonal migrations. Dry season (June-October) gives the clearest views of Kilimanjaro and Meru from the park's viewpoints.

Can I visit Arusha National Park in a single day?
Yes — it's the classic Tanzania day-safari park, easily combined with a walking safari and canoeing in one visit.
Are there lions?
No — the park has no lions, which is exactly what makes walking and canoe safaris possible here.
Can I see Kilimanjaro from the park?
On a clear day, yes — along with excellent close-up views of Mount Meru, which rises within the park itself.
NGULI guests photographing a giraffe in Arusha National Park
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