| 5 mins read
Planning a safari in Tanzania? There’s a good chance you’ll be basing your trip out of Arusha. Though it is a major diplomatic hub of eastern Africa, most travelers don’t spend too much of their time within this northeastern city’s limits thanks to its close proximity to a large number of Tanzania’s top national parks. With the Serengeti, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Tarangire National Parks, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Lakes Manyara and Natron all in the vicinity, Arusha gets some serious safari and adventure traffic each year. Not surprisingly, it has been crowned the Safari capital of the country!
Arriving in Arusha
Arusha is serviced by both Kilimanjaro International Airport as well as Arusha Municipal Airport, though most overseas flights arrive at the former. Once in the city, travelers can rest and sort their travel plans out in the center of town, where a number of accommodation options (from budget to high end) are set up for travelers. Food ranges from Indian, Chinese and western options to cheap street-side eats, and shopping can be done in a number of the downtown area’s markets (a visit to the Maasai Market is a great place to pick up local handicrafts). It’s advised to arrange a safari / adventure trek before you arrive in Arusha, either through an internationally recognized company or reputable Arusha Tour Guide; scams and touts are known to take advantage of the unprepared traveler.
Touring Arusha National Park
Less than 30 kilometers from the city’s limits is Arusha National Park. While not one of the largest parks in Tanzania, Arusha does house a number of different landscapes, the 4,565 meter-tall Mount Meru volcano, and a wide array of stunning wildlife. Being so close to the city, Arusha is often one of the first National Park / safari experiences in the area, home to over 400 species of birds, monkeys, zebras, giraffes and other African animal species.
Visiting the Serengeti From Arusha
Serengeti National Park is quite possibly Tanzania’s most famous, covering 15,000 square kilometers of land and housing a huge variety of wildlife and landscapes. On its endless plains and swamp regions, sprawling forests and woodlands, visitors can expect to spot lions, leopards, cheetahs and other famed African predators, along with scores of other world-famous safari animals. Though the drive into the Serengeti from Arusha is over 200 miles, this northern Tanzanian city is the closest (main) destination to reach the park from.
Tarangire and Manyara National Parks
Southeast of the Serengeti and southwest of Arusha is another of Tanzania’s most stunning destinations, the Tarangire National Park. Covering an area of nearly 3,000 square kilometers, visitors taking a safari through Tarangire can expect to spot elephants, lions, wildebeest and giraffes, along with over 550 species of birds. Tarangire is one of the most geographically diverse parks in northern Tanzania, accessible via Arusha in less than four hours. Nearby, or rather an hour and a half from Arusha, sits Lake Manyara National Park, famous for its wide variety of herbivores. From hippos and elephants to wildebeest and buffalos, visitors touring this park will not be let down by its plethora of wildlife.
Exploring the Ngorongoro Conservation Area
110 miles west of Arusha in Tanzania’s Crater Highlands is the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Known for its variety of wildlife and stunning landscapes, visitors entering this northern region will be spellbound by one specific site: the Ngorongoro Crater. At 2,000 feet deep with a floor covering over 100 square miles, this three million year old crater is the world’s largest inactive volcanic caldera. With multiple bodies of water feeding into the crater, tourists spending time in Ngorongoro can expect to see lions, elephants, hippos and other wildlife occasionally gathering around the watering holes.
Tanzania Trekking
80 miles away from “A” town is Kilimanjaro National Park. Home to Africa’s tallest mountain Mt. Kilimanjaro, this 641 square mile national park truly captures the essence of East Africa. Trek up the mountain with a skilled Kilimanjaro mountain guide to encounter extreme climate zones, spot exotic and elusive animals, and finally stand at the rooftop of the continent; truly one of Tanzania and Africa’s greatest experiences… and accomplishments!
With Africa’s tallest peak and some of its most stunning national parks only a short drive away, Arusha is a real adventure traveler’s hub. Whether you’re looking to spot wildlife, experience some of Africa’s most pristine landscapes or climb to the highest spot in the continent, Arusha is the perfect home base!
Image Details and Licenses: https://flic.kr/p/586PX7 (Kat Stan, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/dwd4Dp (George Lamson, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/gVahpJ (William, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/ew35hi (Colin J. McMechan, CC BY-SA 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/a3H9ai (C. E. Timothy Paine, CC BY-NC 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/dYo8C6 (pablo_marx, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/D4NQ (imnewtryme, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0), https://flic.kr/p/e1rYbq (Fredi Bach, CC BY-NC 2.0)