​Wildlife & Animals – Arusha NP

Philip Briggs
Expert
By Philip Briggs

Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Bradt guidebooks to African destinations, including the guide to Tanzania.

Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of the Bradt guidebook to Tanzania.

Philip is the author of the Bradt guidebook to Tanzania.

Arusha National Park is the 'odd one out' in Tanzania's northern safari circuit. It doesn't offer the usual range of wildlife that the other parks do. Of the Big Five, only buffalo are regularly seen, and lion and rhino are absent. Its appeal lies in the scenic beauty and unusual animals. The charismatic black-and-white colobus monkey is the flagship species.

Abundant
Common
Occasional
Rare
None
ElephantOccasional
GiraffeCommon
HippoOccasional
BuffaloCommon
ZebraCommon
WildebeestRare
White RhinoNone
Black RhinoNone
LionNone
LeopardRare
CheetahVery Rare
HyenaRare
Wild DogVery Rare

Wildlife Highlights

The forest in Arusha National Park is home to species not often encountered in other parks in northern Tanzania, including blue monkey and black-and-white colobus. If you are lucky, you might also spot a shy red duiker. More common is the even smaller Kirk's dik-dik. Giraffe are very common in the area around the Momella lakes.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

Arusha National Park can be visited throughout the year, but the Dry season from June to October is the best time for wildlife viewing. Wildlife is easier to spot because vegetation is thinner and animals gather around predictable water sources. In the peak of the Wet season (March to April), some of the roads might become difficult to navigate, which can interfere with your wildlife viewing experience.

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