Arusha National Park

  • Tanzania Safari Routes Distances

    Vika
    November 24, 2022

    Tanzania, our incredible home, is always open for travelers! We can’t wait to share her beauty with you.

    Take a look below at what we have to offer: the routes, the accommodations, and the experiences.

    The north of Tanzania is full of incredible sights, every way you look. Most of the highlights of the region are in relatively close proximity to each other, making it easy to travel through all of them on safari. The diversity between the parks in this region gives travelers a broad experience of East African nature, culture, and wildlife.

    The information here will give you a better understanding of the distances and travel times involved in a private safari in Tanzania. It will be useful as you plan yours!

    There is so much opportunity for travel in Tanzania, and your trip can easily include a safari in neighboring Kenya or a beach getaway to idyllic Zanzibar. Get in touch to find your perfect safari!

    Arrival day, Kilimanjaro Airport

    Your guide will greet you at Kilimanjaro Airport, and, depending on your time of arrival, you will either start your safari immediately or go to your lodge in Arusha to get some rest before heading out on the safari trail the next morning.

    Arusha / Kilimanjaro Airport - Lake Manyara National Park

    Distance: 130 km
    On the road: about 3 hours on paved roads from the lodge in Arusha. From Kilimanjaro Airport - about 4 hours (180 km).

    The trip: see the town of Mto Wa Mbu and spend a couple of hours wandering the busy streets. Learn about the lives of the Maasai people and the 100 or so other cultural groups living in the area. Visit plantations, workshops, a local bar (to drink banana beer!), and the market stalls for some local produce. For our lunch, we will enjoy some authentic dishes prepared by locals.

    Arusha / Kilimanjaro Airport - Tarangire National Park

    Distance: 160 km
    On the road: about 3 hours on paved roads.

    The trip: From Arusha it takes about 2 hours, from Kilimanjaro Airport about 3 hours (160 km).

    Arusha / Kilimanjaro Airport - Arusha National Park

    Distance: 50 km
    On the road: from Arusha about 1.5 hours on partly-paved roads, from Kilimanjaro Airport about 1 hour.

    Lake Manyara National Park - Tarangire National Park

    Distance: 100 km
    On the road: about 1 to 1½ hours on paved roads.

    Lake Manyara boasts Africa's highest concentration of elephants.

    Lake Manyara National Park - Serengeti Central

    Distance: 210 km
    On the road: 6 hours on roads partly-paved, but mostly sandy and bumpy.

    The trip: drive to Serengeti National Park via the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with incredible panoramic views of the Ngorongoro crater below. Eat lunch on the way while heading for the north of the Serengeti. This route goes straight through the heart of the Serengeti in the area of the Seronera River - one of the most thrilling rides in the region.

    Things to do (optional): visit a Maasai Boma settlement and experience how semi-nomadic communities live with their age-old traditions.

    This route may also be covered by airplane. Please contact us for more information.

    Lake Manyara National Park/ Karatu - Serengeti North (Lobo and Mara) / North East (Bolongonya)

    Distance: 290 km
    On the road: 8-9 hours on roads partly paved, but mostly sandy and bumpy. The road conditions here are poor and you will not have a lot of time to spend on game drives. We recommend to spend a minimum of 2 nights in the North Serengeti Region or opt for a flight in/out.

    The trip: the road from Lake Manyara to Serengeti National Park goes through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with incredible panoramic views of the Ngorongoro crater below. This route goes straight through the heart of the Serengeti in the area of the Seronera River - one of the most thrilling rides in the region.

    Things to do (optional): visit a Maasai Boma settlement and experience how semi-nomadic communities live with their age-old traditions.

    This route may also be covered by airplane. Please contact us for more information.

    Lake Manyara National Park - Lake Natron

    Distance: 80 km
    On the road: 2 hours on mostly sandy and bumpy roads.

    The trip: an adventurous route to a special, off-the-beaten-track place. The road to Lake Natron takes you through the cultural home of the Maasai people, passing the archeological site of the stone-age settlement Engaruka, as well as the majestic Ondoyo Lengai, the only active volcano in the Great Rift Valley. Lake Natron fascinates visitors with its colors, varying from pink, to lime green, to red. The concentration of minerals in the water makes this place a surreal and breathtaking landscape (which may also include flamingoes!).

    cheetah serengeti

    Tarangire National Park - Serengeti Central

    Distance: 300 km
    On the road: 6-7 hours partly on paved roads, but mostly sandy and bumpy roads.

    The trip: the road from Tarangire to Serengeti National Park goes through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with incredible panoramic views of the Ngorongoro crater below. This route goes straight through the heart of the Serengeti in the area of the Seronera River - one of the most thrilling rides in the region.

    This route may also be covered by airplane. Please contact us for more information.

    Tarangire National Park - South Serengeti (Ndutu)

    Distance: 225 km
    On the road: 6 hours partly on paved roads, but mostly sandy and bumpy roads.

    The trip: the road from Tarangire to Serengeti National Park goes through the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, with incredible panoramic views of the Ngorongoro crater below. This route includes a great opportunity to spot wildlife as you drive across the southern Serengeti.

    This route may also be covered by airplane. Please contact us for more information.

    Ngorongoro - Tarangire National Park

    Distance: 150 km
    On the road: 2 hours mostly on paved roads.

    The trip: the road from Ngorongoro takes you through Mto wa Mbu before arriving in Tarangire National Park. You can start the day with a game drive in Ngorongoro and head for Tarangire afterwards, or you can head to Tarangire in the morning and take your game drive there.

    Things to do (optional): see the town of Mto Wa Mbu and spend a couple of hours wandering the busy streets. Learn about the lives of the Maasai people and the 100 or so other cultural groups living in the area. Visit plantations, workshops, a local bar (to drink banana beer!), and the market stalls for some local produce. For our lunch, we will enjoy some authentic dishes prepared by locals.

    lions tanzania babies

    Lake Natron - Serengeti National Park North (Lobo and Mara) and North East (Bolongonya)

    Distance: 220 km
    On the road: 7 hours mostly on sandy and bumpy roads. A beautifully scenic day-trip!

    The trip: head out after breakfast with packed lunch boxes towards the north-eastern part of the Serengeti. Leaving the cliff ridges behind, you will be greeted by a majestic landscape and its residents with their cattle along the way. The landscape changes dramatically once you pass through Klein’s Gate and enter the Serengeti. Your road continues through seemingly-endless savannah with huge herds of grazing animals, and the carnivores which follow them.

    wildebeest migration tanzania serengeti

    Serengeti Central - Ngorongoro

    Distance: 160 km
    On the road: 3 hours on sandy and bumpy roads.

    The trip: you can start the day with a game drive in the Serengeti and head for Ngorongoro right after lunch, or you can head to Ngorongoro in the morning and take your game drive there.

    Serengeti Central - Serengeti North (Lobo and Mara) and North East (Bolongonya)

    Distance: 140 km
    On the road: 4 hours, or combined with a game drive about 7-8 hours. This also depends on the weather conditions, since many of the roads are gravel and corrugated. Alternatively, your guide may advise a different route with better roads, heading along the western outskirts of the Serengeti, with more time for game driving in the Kogatende/Lobo/Mara areas.

    The trip: a full-day game drive in the off-the-beaten-track Lobo reserve. This is a relatively remote area of the Serengeti, so you will see real wilderness with rocky outcrops. Here, you will visit the Bologonja Springs, an important watering hole for migrating animals.

    Ngorongoro Crater - Lake Eyasi

    Distance: 90 km
    On the road: about 2 hours on sandy and bumpy roads. These roads may be difficult during the rainy season (November - May).

    Lake Eyasi - Arusha / Kilimanjaro Airport

    Distance: 180 km
    On the road: 4 hours to reach Arusha, partly on paved roads, with some sandy roads. 5 hours (230km) to reach Kilimanjaro Airport.

    hadzabe man lake eyasi tanzania

    Arusha - Zanzibar

    Time: 1¼-hour flight
    From Arusha, you can fly to the Zanzibar archipelago or other beach areas on the coast of Tanzania for a luxurious wind-down after your safari.

  • A Very Special Place - Africa Amini Life

    AdminSoa
    July 15, 2019

    You’re coming on safari to Africa – so why not immerse yourself from day one, like Shelley Fritz did this month with Shadows of Africa!

    The perfect welcome to Tanzania – Afica Amini Life team The perfect welcome to Tanzania – Africa Amini Life team

     

    Blending into its environment – Africa Amini Life Blending into its environment – Africa Amini Life

     

    Africa Amini Life Maasai Lodge, located an easy drive from Kilimanjaro International Airport and situated midway between Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro, is more than just a bed to rest your weary head. It’s an experience to set you up for the rest of your trip, to celebrate the end of a trip and one to remember for a lifetime.

    Your accommodation Your accommodation

     

    Created by mother and daughter medical doctor team, Christine Wallner and Cornelia Wallner-Frisee, as a closely linked part of their NGO Africa Amini Alama, the lodge incorporates a little bit of everything. European style facilities blend with nature and Maasai  earthern houses, solar provides power and hot water, home grown herbs and the extra special ingredients to an enticing choice of international and local cuisine, and activities include cooling off in the pool after spear throwing with a Maasai warrior.

    Africa Amini Swimming Pool

     

    Stories and dancing with the Maasai – an evening option at Amini Africa Life Stories and dancing with the Maasai – an evening option at Amini Africa Life

     

    Be assured that every dollar you spend on accommodation at this special place goes directly into Africa Amini Alama, its sister charitable organization, supporting educational, medical and social projects.

    Come and feel Africa with us. Book your safari now with Shadows of Africa.

     

  • On Safari with Shadows of Africa, Few Things to Know!

    AdminSoa
    June 26, 2019

    When you take a trip with Shadows of Africa, its extra special!

    Safari car

    Not only do you get amazing safari guides, durable and reliable 4WD Land cruisers specially customised for comfort and 360 degree views of the action, wonderful wildlife spectacles and scenery to die for…. you also get added extras, the small things that make all the difference:

    A hot picnic lunch on your first day of safari, laid out with tables and chairs and our traditional Maasai blankets as tablecloths. Enjoy our freshly prepared selection, together with home baked sweets and a superb cup of Tanzanian coffee to finish.

    Food at picnic

    Two bottles of wine to enjoy at your leisure throughout your safari.

    Daily coffee and tea, as well as a coolbox with mineral water in your vehicle, keeping it chilled to enjoy in that perfect moment.

    A pair of binoculars available for your use in every vehicle.

    An in-car charger to ensure that your camera batteries never run out.

    Free wifi in your vehicle for whenever it is available en-route, in case you need to connect with the world you left behind.

    Emergency air evacuation membership with every trip.

    Amref - Flying doctors

    It’s the attention to detail, and the small things that make the difference!

    Book your safari now with us and we’ll take care of your every need.

     

  • Mt Meru - Kilimanjaro’s Stunning Little Sister!

    AdminSoa
    May 16, 2019

    Shadowed by the size of Kilimanjaro, Mt Meru, despite being an impressive 4,562m, does not get the attention it deserves.

    ROUTE TO THE TOP

    This scenic volcanic shell of a mountain, the surrounding Arusha National Park, the beautifully kept route and mountain huts are awesome!

    Starting our climb we walked, like a dream, into a grassy meadow and ambled past giraffe and cape buffalo, peacefully watching us at close quarters, bemused by our enthusiasm and sprightly pace. The back drop was the spectacular (active but dormant) volcano we were aiming to summit, bust open at its centre, with only the ash cone left as evidence of its majestic past.

     

    WATERFALL REFRESHMENT.

    The walk to Miriakamba, through giant cedar trees and olives, is truly lovely. Paths are well maintained and the climb was surprisingly pleasant with sightings of bush buck and red duiker en route. Although out of breath, we managed just fine arriving, in the sunshine, at the inviting wooden chalets that would host us for the night.

    Fuelled with steaming soup, hot porridge, pancakes and bananas we set off upwards and onwards, climbing high up out of the montane forests and into the Afroalpine heath zone. Stopping for lunch on the way, again we reached our next port of call, Saddle hut, feeling strong.

    THE ELEPHANTS BACK – A WELCOME STOP

    Well informed by our guide we ate lots and rested early and woke at midnight. Armed with torches we struck out, determined to summit. The climb is long, its challenging but my goodness its rewarding.

    TRICKY, BUT STILL SMILING

    SUMMIT OF MT MERU AT DAWN

    Reaching the top at dawn was stunning, and tripping back down the knife edge that we had climbed in the dark, with the views of the crags and caldera and its cone were breathtaking. Absolutely unbeatable

    Shadows of Africa, you surpassed our expectations with Mt Meru. Kilimanjaro bring it on!

     

     

  • Eleven Days Well Spent in Tanzania

    Bryan Fawcett
    November 21, 2017

    If you want to know how to spend 11 day on an Africa safari in Tanzania, here is a great account. Arriving at Kilimanjaro Airport, they were met by their guides, Lomayani and Freddie. From there they overnighted in Kilimanjaro Lodge, unaware of the great sightings they had in store and the experiences they will have. Well, they had expectations, but they are normally nothing compared what is experienced.

    Early the following morning they headed for Manyara National Park. Here they saw basic animals like elephants, and many small antelope, Impala, Dik dik. The next day, they arrived in the Serengeti National Park. Right at the gate, they had the pleasure of seeing a small part of the migration that is in the south of the park at the moment. The main sightings in the Serengeti were the big cats – lion and cheetah, that they saw over the three days that they were there. The Serena Lodge in the Serengeti was their base for these three days. Going out after a relaxing breakfast they had the pleasure of enjoying sightings throughout different times of the day. Animals are visible at certain times of the day, waterholes early morning and late afternoon, in shady areas at lunchtime, scattered on the grasslands the rest of the time. The predators are generally around little hills so they can have a lookout to see what is there from them to capture. At the lodge they saw buffalo and dik dik. Seeing these magnificent beasts whilst relaxing in the lodge is pretty amazing!

    In the Serengeti they had the opportunity of watching a lion family on the hunt, and how the mother and father look after their cubs. As you can see by the pictures they had a kill, now the father brings it closer and in a safer place for the cubs to feed. Protected by the rocks they can safely feed on the wildebeest that had been killed for them, the parents eat as well but make sure there is enough for the little cubs to eat. Other families seen were the cheetah laying about, as you can see they had recently eaten, hence the reason why they are lazing about. On the second day in the Serengeti they had a picnic lunch at a remote picnic site, The picture below shows how they spent it, great enjoyment all around.

     

    From the Serengeti they headed out and into the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The next day, they went into the Ngorongoro Crater, termed as the “8th Wonder of the World”. Inside the crater they got to see the black rhino, one of the most endangered species on Earth. Thereafter, they overnighted nighted in Karatu before heading to see the native tribes of the region. Two tribes with specific industries amongst them. The Hadzabe tribe specializes in hunting and the Datoga tribe in the blacksmith trade. Here they learnt how the Hadzabe hunt and the Datoga make tools and weapons. The trade between themselves and others for survival, the group had a local lunch with the tribes. Later, they headed to Tarangire National Park, where they went on a night game drive, with Brendan, the night safari guide. During this game drive they say jackal, bush babies, zebra, buffalo and elephants. Seeing these creatures at night is very different from the day, a true feeling of Africa comes over you.

    On their last day of safari they headed to Arusha National Park, where they saw flamingos and beautiful scenery around Mt. Meru. Spending these 11 days in Africa gave the ma true and authentic experience in Africa. Come join us on a similar itinerary customized just for you.

  • Combining Wildlife & Cultural Experience

    Lesia
    December 15, 2016

    Our adventurous customers, David and Carol decided to include the most interesting spots in Tanzania in a short time. They started with a walking and canoeing safari in Arusha National Park, which is a perfect option to add to the usual game drive.
    Of course they didn’t miss famous Tarangire National Park, where you can find huge herds of elephants this season. After overnighting in Tarangire Safari Lodge with its amazing view of the Tarangire River, they continued with a game drive in Serengeti National Park. They really loved it and were lucky to see lots of predators very close! Lions, cheetahs, and even a leopard showed up during their game drive. Stunning Ngorongoro Crater impressed them even more with its gorgeous views and variety of wildlife.


    After a tiring safari, the travelers and our guide, Bashiru visited Amini Life Maasai Lodge for some well-earned relaxation. It is a perfect place to explore Maasai culture and even participate in some tribal activities.


    Before coming back home, David and Carol had a chance to get closer to Kilimanjaro. What a perfect option before the flight! Instead of sitting at their hotel, they had a tour to Marangu village, learned about Chaga culture in the ancient caves, trekked to a beautiful waterfall, and tried fresh coffee on the local coffee plantation.
    We agree with our customers that you need to explore different sides of Africa and combine your tour with lots of cultural experiences! It gives you the opportunity to experience the real lives of local people.

  • A successful Mount Meru Trek

    Lauren Smith
    September 21, 2016
    A successful Mount Meru trek in photos.
  • Everything You Need to Know About Arusha National Park

    Chris
    August 25, 2015
    Located just a short drive from Arusha and Moshi, the Arusha National Park is Tanzania's most accessible national park and the perfect place for a day trip or as the first or last stop on a longer itinerary. At just 552 square kilometres, it's a small park with a lot to see.With diverse wildlife that includes herbivores such as elephants, hippos, buffalo, zebra, and even the occasional wildebeest, Arusha National Park is also a perfect place to get out and stretch your legs - with both walking safaris and canoe safaris available within the park.Arusha National Park is also home to the world's largest population of giraffes, making it a great place to visit for fans of these long-necked, beautiful animals.
  • Nature Trails in Arusha National Park

    AdminSoa
    August 13, 2014

    Walking Safaris and Day Hikes On Arusha National Park Safari

     

    Arusha National Park has it all when it comes to hiking and trekking! On safari to Arusha National Park there are more than enough oppurtunities to add a little activity to usual game drive from safari vehicle.

    Following are the existing nature trails that are worth a visit during safari to Arusha National Park.

    Ngurdoto Crater Rim trekking

    Momella Gate to Itikoni and descend back to Momella gate. Hike duration is 4 hours.

    Kitoto View Point to Njeku View Point then descend through Meru Crater back to Kitoto View Point:Hike duration is 4 hours.

    arusha national park

    Momella Gate to Tululusia Waterfall and back to Momellla gate. Hike duration 1.5 hours Tululusia Waterfall is beautiful small waterfall with height of 28 meters!

    Ngurdoto Crater Rim walking trails:

    Laitong to Buffalo 5 hours

    Buffalo  to Kaitong 6 hours

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