Arusha National Park

Description: Often over-looked by visitors, Arusha National Park has incredible volcanic scenery, wonderful views of Mt Kilimanjaro (on clear days), a beautiful rain forest and plenty of wildlife. The main features are Ngurdoto Crater and the Momella Lakes. The Momella Lakes attract a wide variety of birds, particularly flamingos. Guests sometimes enjoy this park just as much as the Serengeti. Its close proximity to Arusha usually means that it gets put first on a Northern Parks itinerary.

Location: Northern circuit, 40 minutes outside Arusha on the way to Moshi

Things 2 Do: Game-Drives, Forest Walks, Canoeing, Mt. Meru Climb

Time: Usually 1 full day but 2 days if hiking and canoeing. Day trip from Arusha is possible.

Animals: Abundant: Zebras, Giraffes, Waterbucks, Reedbucks, Klipspringers, Hippos, Buffaloes, Hyenas, Mongooses, Dik Diks, Warthogs, Baboons and Vervet and Colobus Monkeys. Perhaps Elephants and Leopards, but no Lions or Rhinos.

Accommodations

For accommodations in the Kilimanjaro/Moshi area click here.

$
A2T Camping (public campsites)
Forest Hill Carnival Hotel
Outpost Lodge
Pamoja Expeditions Lodge
Tumaini Cottage
Venus Premier Hotel

$$
Ahadi Lodge
Ilboru Safari Lodge
Karama Lodge
Kibo Palace
Mount Meru Game Lodge and Sanctuary
Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge
Planet Lodge – Arusha
Planet Lodge – Airport Location
Zawadi House

$$$
African Tulip
Arumeru River Lodge
Dik Dik Hotel
Four Points by Sheraton – The Arusha Hotel
Gran Melia Arusha
Moivaro KIA Lodge
Kigongoni Lodge
Makoa Farm
Mount Meru Hotel
Ngurdoto Lodge
Kahawa House 
Rivertrees Country Inn

$$$$
Arusha Coffee Lodge
Arusha Safari Lodge
Arusha Serena Hotel
Hamerkop House by Lemala
Hatari Lodge
Kambi ya Tembo (West Kilimanjaro)
Lake Duluti Lodge
Ndarakwai Ranch (West Kilimanjaro)
Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge
Onsea House

Top photo credit: Ngare Sero Mountain Lodge

Keith S. (USA)

June 27, 2025

“We have worked with various tour organizers in multiple countries over the years, and we all agree that A2T is the best we’ve experienced to date. They provided an excellent itinerary and helpful advice, ensuring we had great places to stay. The abundance of resources, including links to videos and other helpful information, made us feel well-prepared for our journey.

The guides from A2T were outstanding. We had three guides in total, with David being our primary guide. We also encountered several others at various lunch stops throughout the trip. One notable highlight was that we always had a cooler filled with cold water—something we struggled to find in other countries.

All the guides were friendly and exceptional. By the end of our trip, David felt like family to us, and we cherished our daily interactions with him. We truly could not find any negatives or areas for improvement with A2T on this trip.”