{"id":3668,"date":"2022-05-27T07:44:09","date_gmt":"2022-05-27T07:44:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/masembosafari.com\/?post_type=ocean_portfolio&p=2728"},"modified":"2022-08-13T10:36:22","modified_gmt":"2022-08-13T10:36:22","slug":"arusha-national-park","status":"publish","type":"ocean_portfolio","link":"https:\/\/www.sereinasafaris.com\/?ocean_portfolio=arusha-national-park","title":{"rendered":"Arusha National Park"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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The closest national park to Arusha town \u2013 northern Tanzania\u2019s safari capital \u2013 Arusha National Park is a multi-faceted jewel, often overlooked by safari goers, despite offering the opportunity to explore a beguiling diversity of habitats within a few hours. Park size: 137 sq km (53 sq miles). The entrance gate leads into shadowy montane forest inhabited by inquisitive blue monkeys and colorful turacos and trogons \u2013 the only place on the northern safari circuit where the acrobatic black-and-white Colobus monkey is easily seen.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In the midst of the forest stands the spectacular Ngurdoto Crater, whose steep, rocky cliffs enclose a wide marshy floor dotted with herds of buffalo and warthog. Further north, rolling grassy hills enclose the tranquil beauty of the Momela Lakes, each one a different hue of green or blue.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Their shallows sometimes tinged pink with thousands of flamingos, the lakes support a rich selection of resident and migrant waterfowl, and shaggy waterbucks display their large lyre-shaped horns on the watery fringes. Giraffes glide across the grassy hills, between grazing zebra herds, while pairs of wide-eyed dik-dik dart into scrubby bush like overgrown hares on spindly legs.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Although elephants are uncommon in Arusha National Park and lions absent altogether, leopards and spotted hyenas may be seen slinking around in the early morning and late afternoon. It is also at dusk and dawn that the veil of cloud on the eastern horizon is most likely to clear, revealing the majestic snow-capped peaks of Kilimanjaro, only 50km (30 miles) distant.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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But it is Kilimanjaro\u2019s unassuming cousin, Mount Meru \u2013 the fifth highest in Africa at 4,566 metres (14,990 feet) \u2013 that dominates the park\u2019s horizon. Its peaks and eastern foots lopes protected within the national park, Meru offers unparalleled views of its famous neighbor, while also forming a rewarding hiking destination in its own right. Passing first through wooded savannah where buffalos and giraffes are frequently encountered, the ascent of Meru leads into forests aflame with red-hot pokers and dripping with Spanish moss, before reaching high open heath spiked with giant lobelias. Everlasting flowers cling to the alpine desert, as delicately-hoofed klipspringers mark the hike\u2019s progress. Astride the craggy summit, Kilimanjaro stands unveiled, blushing in the sunrise.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The closest national park to Arusha town \u2013 northern Tanzania\u2019s safari capital \u2013 Arusha National Park is a multi-faceted jewel, often overlooked by safari goers, despite offering the opportunity to explore a beguiling diversity of habitats within a few hours. Park size: 137 sq km (53 sq miles). The entrance gate leads into shadowy montane […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3709,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sereinasafaris.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ocean_portfolio\/3668"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sereinasafaris.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ocean_portfolio"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sereinasafaris.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/ocean_portfolio"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sereinasafaris.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sereinasafaris.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3668"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.sereinasafaris.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ocean_portfolio\/3668\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5219,"href":"https:\/\/www.sereinasafaris.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ocean_portfolio\/3668\/revisions\/5219"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sereinasafaris.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3709"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sereinasafaris.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3668"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}