Safari to Arusha National Park Our private safari trip into Arusha National Park from Mount Meru Game Lodge began at a reasonable 08:00 after a leisurely early breakfast, which our hosts had offered to bring forward to accommodate an earlier start. Our guide Dennis was friendly and knowledgeable and conducted us around in a comfortable, all terrain vehicle. The park is expansive, a jewel in Arusha’s crown and was only a thirty-minute drive from our lodge. We followed narrow, rutted and rugged tracks deep into the forest, a thrilling journey as we traversed on uneven terrain for kilometre after kilometre. The first animals we came across were hippos in a pond in a clearing some distance from the track. We then came across a troop of Baboons making their way from one resting place to another, in another clearing we came upon our first pair of Wart Hogs grazing contentedly (Hakuna Matata!). We spied a pair of Zebra through the dense vegetation before coming to a clearing that gave us views over a wide plain were we could see Giraffes, Zebra and Wart Hogs all grazing in unison some half a mile below us. Most creatures in the park have no natural predators apart from the Baboons whose young can be taken by Eagles, and there is no longer any hunting allowed. However, they naturally choose to commune in groups, often mixed groups, as many eyes provide early warning of impending danger. We went on to see many more Baboons, Zebra and Giraffes and had the good fortune to get very close at times. We lunched at Small Momella Lake where we spotted a Water Buck coming down to drink. This is a tourist stopping point with toilets and viewing points with picnic tables. Lunch with Dennis, unlike many other tours who had cardboard lunch boxes, was served on silver plates with proper cups and utensils. We had rice, beef and vegetables washed down with coffee and followed by cookies. The park itself offers a variety of terrains from dense forest to open vistas of rolling hills and lush fields to open plains. On leaving Small Momella Lake we saw a couple of other Water Bucks and many more Giraffes, Zebra, Wart Hogs and Baboons. And to cap it all we saw one of the ‘big five’ a herd of Buffalo. All in all, the seven/eight-hour trip rushed by as we spied many animals and a variety of birds as Dennis explained about the environment and the animals. A worthwhile experience.
Dear Valued Guest, Thank you for sharing such a wonderful and detailed account of your safari in Arusha National Park. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the journey from Mount Meru Game Lodge, the beautiful landscapes, and the incredible wildlife encounters along the way. It is fantastic to know that your experience with Dennis was so positive and that you appreciated the thoughtful touch of a warm meal and proper table settings at Small Momella Lake. Providing comfortable, memorable journeys and rich insights into the local environment is always our goal. Thank you once again for your kind words and valuable feedback. We wish you all the best in your future travels and hope to welcome you on another adventure in the future. ⭐ Warm wishes, The Team at Beach & Safari Holidays
