At the foot of Mount Meru and facing Kilimanjaro, Arusha National Park is the least known and the least visited of the north while it is only one hour away from Arusha city center. Created in 1967 and covering an area of 137 km2, it has a great diversity of landscapes illustrated by Mount Meru, the crater of Ngurdolo and Momela lakes. The 7 Momela alkaline lakes in the northeast, each of a different colour, offer a superb view of the roof of Africa. They are conducive to the observation of giraffes, zebras and buffaloes but also to forty species of birds. Around the caldera, the dense vegetation is the refuge of many baboons and monkeys, including the black-and-white colobus, emblem of the park. The low presence of big cats (some hyenas and leopards) allows walking.
If you are not interested in climbing Mount Meru, opt for a relaxing hike through the forest, streams and waterfalls.
- Apart from its typical daily market and the international tribunal of the United Nations, the tourist interest of Arusha remains very limited. If it's an inevitable junction, there is no reason to spend more than one night there.
- If you are flying between Dar es Salaam and Arusha, consider requesting a seat on the right side of the aircraft to admire the snowy cone of the legendary Kilimanjaro. For the more athletic who would like to make its ascension, a whole day of acclimatization is necessary.
Tanzania, the African pearl
Ten million years ago the tectonic forces formed the great fault of the Rift. It was then that landscapes were sculpted over millennia and life began. Indisputable wild sanctuary, Tanzania can boast of possessing the greatest concentration of animals on earth. Conscious of this asset, it devotes 25% of its area to national parks and reserves. To this is added Zanzibar, an enchanting and bewitching island, bordered by miles of white sand and rocked by history.
When to go ?
Tanzania has a generally comfortable tropical climate year-round, although there are significant regional variations.
- Along the warmer and humid coast, the climate is determined in large part by the monsoon winds, which bring rains in two major periods.
- During the long rain season, from mid-March to May, it rains heavily almost every day, although seldom for the whole day, and the air can get unpleasantly sticky.
- During the short rain season during November, December and sometimes into January, the rain is lighter.
The best times to visit Zanzibar are from July to October and from December to March.
Formalities
- A passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of arrival in Tanzania is required by the Tanzanian authorities.
- The visa application must be submitted to the Tanzanian Embassy in the country of residence. However, when the traveller does not have the possibility to apply for a visa before departure, he can obtain it at certain border posts (to be paid in US Dollars):
- At the international airport of Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro
- At the ports of Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Kigoma
Health
- No vaccination is mandatory but some vaccinations are recommended; Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for all travellers from a country where endemic yellow fever is present but may be advised to all travellers. To avoid any inconvenience, it is strongly recommended to be up to date for yellow fever vaccination and to be in possession of an international vaccination booklet.
- Antimalarial treatment is recommended (see your doctor).
Currency
The monetary unit is the Tanzanian shilling (TSH) which is divided into 100 cents.
Credit cards are only accepted in certain hotels and restaurants in major cities. Travellers checks are very difficult to change. It is therefore strongly recommended to bring in foreign currency. Most payments can be made directly in US dollars from series after 2006. Banks and foreign exchange offices realize the exchange of your currencies. Never change money from intermediaries in the street, but only in exchange offices and banks.
Attention: Park fees as well as some lodges and hotel must be paid in US$.