Arusha National Park, which lies on the eastern edge of the Rift Valley near Arusha town, covers an area of 52 km squared.

Three distinct areas are to be found; the extinct Ngurdoto volcano with its pear shaped crater, the alkaline Momela Lakes fed by underground streams and the rugged, dormant Mount Meru. Altitudes range from 1500m above sea level at Momela to over 4500m at the summit of Meru.

Migrating water birds settle on the lakes and waterbuck and reedbuck are found near water, while shy bushbuck and duikers keep to the forested areas and the black and white colobus monkeys to the treetops. Colobus are the most arboreal of all African monkeys and rarely descend to the ground. Other wildlife includes elephant, buffalo, hippo, giraffe, zebra and hyena and over 400 species of birds have been recorded.