Arusha National Park — Canoe Safaris & Walking Tours

Arusha National Park is only 45 minutes from Arusha town, making it the most accessible park in Tanzania. At 552 km², it is small by Tanzanian standards, but its diversity is extraordinary — from the forested slopes of Mount Meru to the alkaline Momella Lakes and the grassy Ngurdoto Crater.

This is not a Big Five destination. Instead, Arusha National Park offers something rarer: activities banned in most other parks. You can canoe on the lakes, walk through the forest with an armed ranger, and experience the bush on foot — all within sight of Tanzania's second-highest peak.

The Momella Lakes are a series of shallow alkaline lakes famous for their waterbirds. From a canoe, you glide silently past hippos, buffalo on the shore, and thousands of flamingos that turn the water pink. Giraffes and zebras drink at the edges. It is peaceful, intimate, and entirely unlike a standard game drive.

Canoe safaris last 2-3 hours and are available in the morning or late afternoon. No experience is needed — the guides handle the paddling and navigation. This is one of the few places in Tanzania where you can legally be on the water among wild animals.

Arusha National Park offers guided walking safaris of 3-4 hours with armed rangers. You track giraffes through the grassland, learn to read animal spoor, and discover the smaller wonders of the bush — insects, plants, and birds that you miss from a vehicle.

The feeling of walking where wild animals roam is humbling. Your senses heighten. Every sound matters. It is the closest you can get to the African wilderness without being on a multi-day trek.

• Black-and-white colobus monkeys — The park's most famous residents. These beautiful monkeys live in the montane forest near the park entrance. They are shy, acrobatic, and stunning to photograph.
• Buffalo — Large herds in the Ngurdoto Crater and grasslands.
• Giraffes and zebras — Common around the lakes and open areas.
• Flamingos — Lesser flamingos line the Momella Lakes. Numbers vary with water levels.
• Leopards and hyenas — Present but rarely seen due to forest cover.
• Over 400 bird species — Including trogons, hornbills, and the colorful Hartlaub's turaco.

Often called "Little Ngorongoro," the Ngurdoto Crater is a 3 km-wide volcanic caldera surrounded by forest. Unlike Ngorongoro, you cannot descend into the crater — you view it from the rim. Buffalo and elephants roam the floor, and the viewpoint offers spectacular panoramas, especially at sunrise.

Year-round, though the dry season (June to February) offers better walking conditions. November to April brings migratory birds. The park is at its greenest during the rains.

Arusha National Park works perfectly as a gentle first day before a longer safari, or a relaxing final day after the intensity of the Serengeti. Many of our guests start here to ease into safari mode — the walking and canoeing warm you up for the game drives ahead.

See our Arusha National Park destination page or add it to your itinerary.