SAFARI ARUSHA NATIONAL PARK DAY TRIP
- Overview
Experience a compact yet diverse safari adventure in Arusha National Park, a hidden gem just outside Tanzania’s safari capital. This day trip combines lush rainforests, volcanic craters, and alpine meadows with exceptional wildlife viewing—all against the dramatic backdrop of Mount Meru. Ideal for those seeking a quieter, scenic alternative to larger parks, Arusha NP offers walking safaris, canoeing, and close encounters with giraffes, buffaloes, and colobus monkeys.
Distance from Arusha:
35 km (1-hour drive) – the closest safari destination to the city.
6:30 AM: Depart Arusha.
7:30 AM: Enter the park; game drive to Ngurdoto Crater.
10:00 AM: Walking safari in the montane forest.
12:00 PM: Picnic lunch at Momela Lakes.
1:30 PM: Canoeing (optional) or more game drives.
3:30 PM: Visit a waterfall or viewpoint (weather permitting).
5:00 PM: Return to Arusha.
When to Visit
Prime Time: June-October (dramatic river gatherings)
Secret Season: November-May (emerald landscapes, newborn animals)
Temperatures: 22°C-30°C (mornings can be crisp)
Why Visit Arusha National Park?
Closest safari to Arusha – Perfect for those with limited time
Walking safaris allowed – Rare chance to explore on foot with an armed ranger
Canoe among flamingos – Glide across the Momela Lakes, surrounded by waterbirds
Dramatic landscapes – From the Ngurdoto Crater (a mini-Ngorongoro) to Mount Meru’s slopes
Exclusive wildlife – Black-and-white colobus monkeys, giraffes, and buffalo herds
| Included
In the Price-
All parks entry fees
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4wd top up roof land cruiser
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Government taxes
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Unlimited drinking water
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Free Wi-Fi
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Lunch boxes
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Professional Tour Guide
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Accommodations
| Excluded
In the Price-
All visas
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Items of personal nature
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Tips
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Walking safari
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Health insurance
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International flights
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Extracharges on safari
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Affiliations
Posted on Compass03Verified ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ein unvergessliches Safari-Erlebnis mit Matey Wir hatten das große Glück, unsere zwölftägige Safari mit unserem Guide Matey zu erleben – es war einfach traumhaft! Sein enormes Wissen über Tiere und Natur, seine Leidenschaft und sein Gespür dafür, wo sich die Tiere aufhalten, haben uns tief beeindruckt.Von den Big Five bis zu den Ugly Five – wir haben alles gesehen! Jeder Nationalpark, ob Serengeti, Ngorongoro-Krater, Tarangire oder Arusha, war einzigartig und bot neue Überraschungen.Ein riesiges Dankeschön an Matey für seine herzliche Art und die unvergesslichen Momente. Diese Reise war ein absolutes Highlight – wir würden sie jederzeit wieder machen! ❤️🐘🌅Posted on Jaylin Wall GVerified Tanzania safari was the best for us to deepen our love of wildlife and nature. Our 6-day safari experience with Gardenia African Safaris. And my wife said Gardenia was the right choice and as a local tour operator in Tanzania, they truly provided a peaceful safari experience.Our safari began in Tarangire, where the air smelled of earth and freedom. Our driver Emanuel was very expert, knowledgeable and friendly. We followed elephants along the riverbanks and laughed whenever a curious giraffe stopped and looked.The Serengeti felt infinite, like a sea of grass teeming with life. Watching the migration together, my wife held my hand, no need to speak. Each sunset colored the sky differently, and each night, the stars whispered old secrets.Last destination The legendary Ngorongoro Crater. The crater of Ngorongoro was the grand finale - green, mysterious and vibrant. Those 6 days changed the way we saw the world. We came as tourists, but left as silent devotees of something much bigger than ourselves.Posted on Martina BVerified WOW, WOW, WOW….. Thank‘s Matey!!! WOW, WOW, WOW... we're speechless!!!We went on our first 6-day safari with Matey at the end of October and were absolutely thrilled!We didn't know what to expect and are still blown away!It wasn't just the beauty of the country, but above all, Matey's incredibly friendly personality that made our safari perfect!!! He's incredibly reliable, empathetic, and extremely knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna. For us, it wasn't just a safari, but also a cultural enrichment experience thanks to Matey! He always knew where to find the day's highlights and surprised us every single time.Thanks to him, we saw every imaginable animal, including the Big Five.The accommodations were all fantastic too (words often fail to describe their magic)!We hope that many others will have the opportunity to experience Matey's safari adventures and enjoy them as much as we did!See you soon!!!!Martina and FrankPosted on Bins FSVerified Lovely Experience💙💙🐘🐘🦒🦁 Our 4 days journey in Tanzania with Gardenia African Safaris. We explored Tarangire and Serengeti National Park.Tarangire instantly amazed us with huge elephant families walking by and the unique baobab trees spread across the land like ancient guardians. When we reached the Serengeti, our excitement never slowed down. We were lucky enough to witness lions resting as the sun rose, zebras running through the open plains, and hippos splashing in the water.Our guide was Matey , he was very knowledgeable and kind, always making sure we didn't miss a thing. Comfort, romance, and adventure blended perfectly on this trip.Posted on Sarai MarshallVerified Tanzanian wildlife and nature touched our spirits. Our 10 day safari in Tanzania, experience felt like we had stepped into a National Geographic film and somehow become part of the cast, And our entire safari was wonderfully organized from start to finish by Gardenia African Safaris. We explored Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Crater. Our guide Erick narrated every moment with passion, turning each sighting into a story. We saw many animals close up such as lions, elephants, hippos, zebras, wildbeasts etc. We realized that Tanzania is not just a place of majestic landscapes, but also a place with a huge heart. Everywhere the hospitality felt genuine and warm. In the end, it wasn't just a vacation - we felt friendships were made.Posted on silvia kVerified Alles in allem wunderschön! It was a perfect journey, a special adventure! Great! And Mattey was a perfekt guide. We drove threw Serengeti, Ndutu, Tarangire and Ngorogoro Becken.Posted on Con ErenVerified It was my special day in Serengeti, Tanzania. My Serengeti day trip felt I was immersed in the beauty of nature. Matey was very reasonable guy. He treated me like a friend. I was really lucky to see the Great Migration where I saw countless zebras and wildebeest at the Mara River crossing. I never felt lonely, he was always with me and made the whole day a special experience. He was very knowledgeable and took me to the best places at the right time. Really I will enjoyed the every single moment. I wanted to recommend Matey and Gardenia African Safaris.Posted on HF TVerified An unforgettable trip to Tanzania Six years ago, the wife had been moaning about going to Tanzania to see the Great Migration of Animals and had been put on hold because of the pandemic and other reasons. This year, with the addition of friends, the trip to the end of February was finally decided. I first handpicked the three local local local word-of-mouth and itinerary-appropriate pick-up agencies on the catwalk, and then matched each camp like a jigsaw puzzle with a palatable hotel. In the end Gardenia African Safaris stood out thanks to the brand new Toyota Cruiser fleet and owner Matey saying the sincere "I love China" with an accent, plus the seamless service throughout, like picking up a clover on the prairie, feeling the trip was doomed to be a blessing.Our driver and guide, Nelson, is a handsome, dark-skinned guy with eight years of Safari experience and a living map of the grasslands. Not only can he gather information about animal presence in real time through the intercom, but he can always accurately predict the best location to shoot. While chasing wildebeest in the Ndoutou grasslands, Nelson deliberately parked his car on a gentle slope: "Film it from here, it shows a sense of a thousand-horse rush." Sure enough, as the migrant army squirms past in front of its eyes carrying dust, the red dust raised in the shot mirrors the animal silhouette, the kind of majestic poking at the heart. The best part was in the Serengeti, where he took us squatting all the way through the Lions' hunt for wildebeest - steadying the wheel as the lions sprinted and the wildebeest ran in panic, keeping our camera locked in the wild contest, even breathing to the tight rhythm of the picture.Thanks to the Gardenia team for their professionalism and enthusiasm, we had a cinematic 10 days in the African prairie. When the SUV ran over the golden grassy waves of the Serengeti, and the wind swooped in with the scent of grassland, I finally understood: some landscapes, you have to stand there in person to feel its shock; some encounters, you have to step on that land to grasp its preciousness. And picking the right place is like getting a key that will allow you to wade into this wild land without a care and embrace all the unexpected surprises.Posted on Thomas KümmerlenVerified Beautiful and exciting We were already the second time with our guide Matey for 7 days each on safari. The land and the beautiful scenery as well as the many animals made us more than enthusiastic. Matey is a very nice and friendly person, had driven us to the most beautiful places in the parks so we had also seen the big five. He knows the area like his pocket and always responds to the needs of his travelers.We can only recommend him! If Safari then only with him and his team.Posted on ThomasVerified Perfect Safari experience with perfect team. Our 7 day family’s safari in Tanzania was absolutely a great achievement for all of us. And Gardenia African Safaris fulfilled our wish with a beautiful, peaceful safari experience.Baraka our guide was amazing, sharing stories that made us appreciate how wild and balanced nature really is. Seeing the Great Migration up close, thousands of wildebeests and zebras moving together across the plains like a living wave.Our camp was very beautiful and clean and comfortable. And the local food was delicious. We were so excited to hear the natural beauty and the sounds of animals in the silent night from the camp rooms. Tanzania surprised us in every way- raw, beautiful, and full of life. It’s not just a trip we took, it’s a memory we’ll carry forever.
