'Arusha National Park' covers
Mount Meru, a prominent
volcano with an elevation of 4566 m, in the
Arusha Region of north eastern
Tanzania.
The park is small but varied with spectacular landscapes in three distinct areas. In the west, the Meru Crater funnels the Jekukumia River; the peak of Mount Meru lies on its rim.
Ngurdoto Crater in the south-east is
grassland. The shallow
alkaline Momella Lakes in the north-east have varying
algal colours and are known for their
wading birds.
Mount Meru is the second highest peak in Tanzania after
Mount Kilimanjaro, which is just 60 km away and forms a backdrop to views from the park to the east. Arusha National Park lies on a 300-kilometre axis of Africa's most famous national parks, running from
Serengeti and
Ngorongoro Crater in the west to
Kilimanjaro National Park in the east.
The park is just a few kilometres north east of
Arusha, though the main gate is 25 km east of the city. It is also 58 km from
Moshi and 35 km from
Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA).
External links
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Tanzania Parks