Tour Overview
This 2-day Arusha National Park and Tarangire safari offers an extraordinary combination of active adventure and spectacular wildlife viewing. Often overlooked by travelers heading straight to the Serengeti, Arusha National Park is a hidden gem that rewards visitors with diverse landscapes, abundant wildlife, and unique experiences such as walking safaris and canoeing. This compact park, spanning 552 square kilometers, features the towering Mount Meru (4,565m), the beautiful Momella Lakes, and the volcanic Ngurdoto Crater, providing a stunning backdrop for your first day of exploration.
The second day takes you to Tarangire National Park, often called the "Elephant Kingdom" for its massive elephant herds – the highest concentration of elephants in Tanzania. The park's ancient baobab trees, some over a thousand years old, create a dramatic and unforgettable landscape that is iconic to Tanzania's safari experience.
This safari is perfect for travelers seeking a more active wildlife experience, combining the unique walking safari and optional canoeing opportunities of Arusha National Park with the exceptional game viewing of Tarangire. The shorter driving distances from Arusha make this an ideal 2-day getaway for those with limited time.
Tour Duration: 2 Days / 1 Night
Price: Available on Request
Destinations: Arusha National Park, Tarangire National Park, Mount Meru
Activities: Walking safari, canoeing (optional), private game drives, birdwatching
Departure: Arusha or Moshi
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arusha – Arusha National Park
The adventure begins with an early morning pickup from your hotel in Arusha or Moshi. After a brief introduction and safety briefing from your professional English-speaking driver-guide, you will embark on a scenic 45-minute drive to Arusha National Park. As you approach the park, the majestic silhouette of Mount Meru emerges, dominating the skyline and signaling the start of your adventure.
Upon arrival at the park gate, you will register and receive a briefing about the park's diverse habitats and wildlife. Arusha National Park is a compact but incredibly diverse park, featuring montane forests, open grasslands, the scenic Momella Lakes, and the Ngurdoto Crater, all with Mount Meru as a stunning backdrop.
Your first activity is a guided walking safari, accompanied by an armed ranger for your safety. This is a unique opportunity to experience the African bush on foot, getting closer to wildlife than you could from a vehicle. Walking through the lush montane forests and open grasslands, you will encounter giraffes up close, zebras grazing on the plains, buffaloes at a safe distance, and a variety of primates including blue monkeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys. Your ranger will share insights about the local flora, medicinal plants, and the park's ecosystem, making this a truly immersive experience.
After your walking safari, you will explore the park by vehicle, driving to the Momella Lakes. This series of seven shallow lakes is a birdwatcher's paradise, home to flamingos (seasonal), pelicans, storks, herons, and over 400 bird species. The lakes also offer spectacular views of Mount Meru, with its reflection shimmering on the water's surface. You'll also visit the Ngurdoto Crater, a smaller volcanic crater with a forested rim and a swampy floor, providing excellent birdwatching and scenic views.
For those seeking extra adventure, an optional canoeing experience on the Momella Lakes is available. This seasonal activity, depending on water levels, allows you to paddle across the lakes, getting closer to waterbirds and hippos while enjoying stunning views of Mount Meru from the water.
After a fulfilling day of exploration, you will enjoy a delicious picnic lunch at a scenic site overlooking the park's landscapes, followed by additional game viewing before departing in the late afternoon. You will then transfer to your chosen accommodation for check-in, sundowner drinks, and a relaxing dinner, falling asleep to the sounds of the African night.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Choice of budget, mid-range, or luxury
Day 2: Tarangire National Park – Arusha
After an early breakfast at your lodge, you will depart for Tarangire National Park, a journey of approximately 1.5 to 2 hours through the scenic Great Rift Valley. As you approach Tarangire, the landscape transforms, with the iconic baobab trees appearing on the horizon, signaling your arrival at one of Tanzania's most remarkable wildlife destinations.
Tarangire National Park, covering 2,850 square kilometers, is famous for having the highest concentration of elephants in Tanzania, with herds of up to 300 individuals roaming the park's vast landscapes. The park is named after the Tarangire River, which serves as the only permanent water source during the dry season, attracting an incredible diversity of wildlife.
Upon entering the park through the main gate, your full-day game drive begins in earnest. You'll explore the park's diverse habitats, from acacia woodlands to open grasslands and seasonal swamps, all dotted with ancient baobab trees that create a surreal and beautiful landscape. The morning is the perfect time for wildlife viewing when animals are most active after the cool night. Your guide will search for elephants, often seen bathing in the Tarangire River, as well as lions resting in the shade of baobab trees, giraffes feeding on acacia leaves, and large herds of zebras and wildebeests grazing on the plains.
A highlight of your game drive is the Silale Swamp area, a seasonal wetland that attracts predators and large herds of wildlife. Here, you may witness lions stalking prey, spotted hyenas, and elephants wallowing in the mud. The Tarangire River area is another wildlife hotspot, where hundreds of elephants gather to drink and bathe, hippos wallow in deeper pools, and crocodiles bask on the riverbanks.
Midday brings a delicious picnic lunch at a designated site inside the park, where you can relax and watch wildlife at a safe distance while enjoying the tranquility of the African bush. The afternoon game drive continues, exploring different areas of the park as you search for predators like lions and leopards, along with the park's remarkable birdlife, which includes over 550 species such as yellow-collared lovebirds, hornbills, and ostriches.
As the sun begins to lower, the golden light creates perfect photography opportunities. You will see the iconic baobab trees silhouetted against the African sunset, providing a dramatic and unforgettable end to your safari. In the late afternoon, you will depart from Tarangire and begin your scenic drive back to Arusha, with time for final photos and reflection on two days of extraordinary wildlife encounters.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Not included (return to Arusha)
