Arusha National Park

Arusha National Park is a small but incredibly diverse reserve located just a 45-minute drive from Arusha city. The park features three distinct landscapes: the lush Ngurdoto Crater, whose swampy floor acts like a miniature caldera; the alkaline Momella Lakes, which host thousands of pink flamingos; and the rugged, volcanic cone of Mount Meru (4,562 meters). Because there are no lions in the park, it is one of the best locations in Tanzania for guided walking safaris, letting you stand on foot near grazing zebras, giraffes, and waterbucks. The montane forest canopy is the premier place to see the acrobatic, black-and-white colobus monkeys leaping between tree branches, while leopards and spotted hyenas roam the volcanic ridges.