Arusha National Park, located close to Arusha town in northern Tanzania, is often overshadowed by more famous safari destinations, yet it boasts an impressive array of habitats to explore within just a few hours.

Upon entering, visitors are greeted by the dense montane forest, home to curious blue monkeys and vibrant turacos and trogons. This is the only spot on the northern safari circuit where the black-and-white colobus monkey is easily seen. The forest is centered around the striking Ngurdoto Crater, a dramatic formation with steep cliffs enclosing a broad marshland where buffalo and warthogs roam.

To the north, the serene Momela Lakes are surrounded by rolling grassy hills. Each lake displays a unique shade of green or blue, and their shallows often turn pink due to thousands of flamingos. The lakes host a variety of resident and migratory waterfowl, while waterbucks with their distinctive lyre-shaped horns can be spotted at the water’s edge. Giraffes traverse the grassy terrain among zebra herds, and nimble dik-diks dart into the scrub like oversized hares on slender legs.

While elephants are rare in Arusha National Park and lions are not present, leopards and spotted hyenas might be glimpsed during the early morning or late afternoon. At dawn and dusk, the clouds over the eastern horizon sometimes clear, revealing the majestic snow-capped peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro, just 50 kilometers (30 miles) away.

However, it is Mount Meru, Kilimanjaro’s less prominent neighbor, that dominates the park’s landscape. Standing at 4,566 meters (14,990 feet), Meru is Africa’s fifth highest peak. It offers stunning views of Kilimanjaro and serves as a remarkable hiking destination in its own right. The ascent of Meru begins through wooded savannah where buffalos and giraffes are common, then moves into forests adorned with red-hot pokers and Spanish moss. As hikers climb higher, they encounter open heathlands dotted with giant lobelias and alpine desert where everlasting flowers grow. The delicate klipspringers track the hike’s progress, and at the rugged summit, the sunrise reveals Kilimanjaro in all its glory.