Arusha National Park

Your day trip to Arusha National Park begins with a morning pick-up from your hotel or Tower at around 7:30 AM, allowing enough time for the 50-minute drive (approximately 35 kilometers) to Arusha National Park. As you approach the park gates, expect to be greeted by lush greenery and the cool mountain air – a hint of what’s coming.

Unlike other parks, Arusha National Park surprises visitors with its variety of geographical make ups, from misty montane forests to sprawling grasslands, lakes, and the backdrop of Mount Meru – Africa’s fifth-highest peak at 4,566 meters (14,980 feet). The park is famous for its black-and-white colobus monkeys, while giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, and warthogs roam the open plains.

One of the highlights of this day trip is a guided bush walk, led by your personal guide and an armed park ranger. Unlike a typical game drive, walking through the wilderness brings an entirely different kind of thrill – every sound, every rustle of leaves feels amplified. You’ll follow narrow trails along the slopes of Mount Meru, passing by wildlife at eye level and catching glimpses of Momella Lakes, known for their large flocks of flamingos. Along the way, you’ll learn about the smaller details of the bush – the medicinal uses of plants, animal tracks, and the intricate balance of life in the wild. It’s a humbling, heart-racing experience that connects you to the wilderness in a deeply personal way.

In the afternoon, enjoy a picnic lunch at a designated spot, perhaps with views of Mount Kilimanjaro in the distance on a clear day. Afterwards, resume your game drive, keeping an eye out for elephants, hippos, to name a few. Depending on time and your interest, you may visit the Ngurdoto Crater, a lush, bowl-shaped caldera teeming with wildlife, or marvel at the Momella Lakes. By late afternoon, we’ll begin the return trip to Arusha, arriving back at your hotel with memories of a day well spent.