4 days
Northern Circuit in Four Days
The shortest route that still does the northern circuit justice: Manyara's forest, Tarangire's elephants and a full morning on the…
$1,340per person, from
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552 km²
Established
1960
Getting there
45 minutes from Arusha, 1 hour from JRO
Known for
Giraffe, black-and-white colobus, buffalo, bushbuck, flamingo, waterbuck, over 400 bird species
The place
Arusha National Park
The most underrated park in Tanzania, and the one we send people to on their first or last day. Three landscapes sit inside 552 square kilometres: the forested Ngurdoto Crater, the alkaline Momella lakes with their flamingos, and the ash cone of Mount Meru rising to 4,566 metres. Because there are no lions, you are allowed to walk and to canoe here — which changes the experience entirely. Giraffe walk the open glades with Kilimanjaro floating over the ridge on a clear morning.
Why go
What makes it worth the days
Walking safaris
An armed ranger, open glades and giraffe at a hundred metres on foot. The single best introduction to the bush in northern Tanzania.
Canoeing the Momella lakes
Paddle among waterbuck and flamingo with Meru reflected in the water.
Colobus monkeys
Black-and-white colobus are common in the forest here and absent from the drier parks.
Mount Meru
A four-day trek up the third-highest mountain in East Africa, and the best acclimatisation there is for Kilimanjaro.
The ground
Areas and how they differ
Where you sleep inside a park matters more than most people realise. These are the distinct areas and what each is good for.
Where to stay
Most guests stay in Arusha or Usa River and drive in for the day. There are two small lodges just outside the Momella gate for anyone starting a Meru climb at dawn.
A forested caldera viewed from the rim — you cannot descend. Buffalo and warthog graze the floor below.
Seven shallow alkaline lakes, each a different colour depending on its algae. Flamingo, and canoeing on the small ones.
A drivable arch formed by a strangler fig, with colobus overhead.
The trekking route: Miriakamba, Saddle Hut, Little Meru and the knife-edge to Socialist Peak.
When to visit
Arusha through the year
Perfect on arrival day or the day before you fly out. Combine with Lake Duluti canoeing or a coffee-estate cycle for a full day.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Prime time
Good, fewer vehicles
Green season · lowest rates
Gallery
Arusha in pictures
Trips that include it
Itineraries visiting Arusha
4 days
7 days
Family Safari, Properly Planned
Shorter drives, camps with pools, guides who are good with children, and a pace that leaves room for a swim at three o'clock. Built…
$2,980per person, from
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5 days
Budget Camping Adventure
The old-fashioned way: canvas tents, a cook who works miracles on two burners, and hyena calling somewhere past the fire. Same…
$1,150per person, from
ViewKeep exploring
Nearby destinations
The endless plains
Serengeti
14,763 km² of grass, granite kopjes and the greatest terrestrial mammal migration on earth.
The crater
Ngorongoro
The world's largest intact volcanic caldera, holding around 25,000 large animals on a 260 km² floor.
Elephants and baobabs
Tarangire
2,850 km² of baobab country holding the densest dry-season elephant population in northern Tanzania.
Go there
See Arusha for yourself
Tell us how long you have and we will show you how Arusha fits into a route that works — and how many nights it really deserves.