Park Overview

Arusha National Park

A popular day trip for visitors about to embark from the town of Arusha on longer northern circuit safaris, Arusha National Park is a gem of varied ecosystems and spectacular views of Mt. Meru, the crater that gives the region its name.

Girrafe in Arusha National Park

Colobus in the park

Arusha National Park

Location: Arusha Region, Tanzania

Circuit Northern
Area: 137 sq km

Gazetted:
1960 - Gazetted and was called The Ngurdoto Crater National Park
1967 - Renamed Arusha National Park.

Topography:
Varied. Ngurdoto is surrounded by forest while the actual crater is a swamp. West of the crater is an open grassland area called Serengeti Ndogo. Mt. meru is a mixture of lush forest and bare rock.

Main Features:
- Ngurdoto Crater; a drive to view point for gorgeous views of the park

- 7 Momela Lakes

- Little Serengeti natural glades area surrounded by the forest where grazers can be found

- Walking safari as well as canoeing safari can be done

- Visitors Information Center

- Ngurdoto Museum

- Elephant migration shares ecosystem with Amboseli National Park in Kenya

- And finally; Hiking Mt. Meru Tanzania’s second highest peak and Africa’s fifth highest peak.

Animal life: Abundant. You can be certain to see zebras, giraffes, waterbucks, reedbucks, klipspringers, hippos, buffaloes, elephants, hyaenas, mongooses, dik-diks, warthogs, baboons, and vervet and colobus monkeys. You may even get to see a leopard. Burchell's zebras can also be found in the park.

Birdlife:
Varies. The Momela Lakes attract a wide variety of wader birds particularly flamingoes. Over 400 migrant and resident birds have been recorded.

Gear List

  Printable version     
  Book this Trip

Highlights / Features

Best time to visit:
June - July

Safari Park Gear List

The key to staying comfortable on safari is layering. To get maximum comfort with minimum weight, you need versatile layers that mix and match to create the right amount of insulation. This gear list is provided to help you in choosing your equipment and clothing for this trip. Try to bring only what is necessary, as this helps you and the field staff.
Weather

On safari, temperatures are typically in the 70s - 80s during the day, cooling off to the 50s - 60s in the evening. The Ngorongoro Crater is over 7,000' high so you can count on the evenings being cool regardless of season.

Gear Checklist
Official Papers
- Valid passport
- Visas
- Airline tickets
- International health card with immunizations

Luggage
- Medium size duffel bag (~4000 cu in.)
- Luggage tags and luggage locks
- Passport pouch or money belt
- Daypack, ~1500 cu in.

City Clothing
- Bring a few lightweight, easily washable casual items for travel and city/lodge wear

Outerwear
- Waterproof, breathable jacket
- Sweater/jacket - synthetic fleece or wool (especially for cool morning game runs and evenings at the Ngorongoro Crater)

Footwear
- Walking shoes with good ankle support (for side hikes/walks and lodge wear)
- Sport sandals

Clothing
- T-shirts, mix of synthetic and cotton
- Synthetic, long-sleeve shirt(s) - think sun protection
- Synthetic, quick-drying shorts (mid-thigh or longer)
- Light weight, breathable, quick-drying pants (zip-off legs are great)
- Socks
- Underwear, quick-drying
- Sleepwear
- Swimsuit (some lodges have a pool)

Clothing Accessories
- Sun hat with brim
- Bandanna(s)

Travel Accessories
- Sunglasses
- Insect repellent with DEET
- Personal first-aid kit
- Hand sanitizer gel / towelettes
- Sun block and lip balm w/high SPF
- Toiletry kit with bio-degradable soap/shampoo, hand lotion,
- Small wash cloth
- Electrical converter and adapter
- Headlamp or flashlight & extra batteries
- Beach towel

Optional Field Gear
- Camera, lenses, and lots of film/memory cards
- Binoculars (highly recommended)
- Motion sickness remedies
- Earplugs and travel pillow
- Alarm clock or watch
- Spare contact lenses or prescription glasses
- Zip lock bags, to protect camera, binoculars from dust
- Favorite kids snacks

Things to Consider
- Please remember to always pack essential items such as your passport, money, eyewear, a change of clothing and medications in your carry-on baggage, in case your luggage is delayed.
- It has become quite common these days for a family to have more than one surname. Maybe a mother has kept her maiden name of perhaps the children are from different unions. Whatever the reason, you’ll want to be able to prove that, yes, these kids are really yours. Even if you are the nuclear family, copies of birth certificates aren't a bad thing to have along if passports are lost or stolen
- Parental permission - If you're traveling with your kids without your spouse, you may need proof that the absent parent has given permission for the child to travel with you. It's simple enough to write up a letter, sign it, have it witnessed and notarized.
- The checked luggage allowance on the internal flight from the Serengeti to Arusha is 33 pounds. Please pack accordingly. Travelers flying home on Day 9 can store extra luggage in Arusha while on safari.
- Casual attire is acceptable for Africa. Neutral, light-colored clothing is best for the safari, to blend into the landscape and not alarm the wildlife. Khaki is always a good color while on safari.
- Be prepared to hand wash your clothes (quick-drying materials are best). Laundry services are available at some lodges for an additional cost.
- Stuff sacks are great for sorting your gear. Plastic bags are also helpful to separate clean and dirty clothing.
- If you normally wear contacts, bring a pair of glasses in case of irritation from dust in your eyes.
- Many of the roads in Africa are deeply rutted and dusty. It is a good idea to pack camera equipment and binoculars in plastic bags to protect them from the dust. This is in addition to their normal cases. Also bring lens cleaning materials.

Other Parks and Places

Katavi National Park

Gombe Stream National Park

Mahale Mountains National Park

Selous Game Reserve

Udzungwa Mountains National Park

Ruaha National Park

Mikumi National Park

Arusha National Park

Tarangire National Park

Lake Manyara National Park

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Serengeti National Park

Photos