In 2022, travel lovers can enjoy an exciting and leisurely trip to East Africa, where they can have the time of their lives. In Tanzania, a must-see location is Arusha, a heavenly region that offers scenic views, mouth watering food, kind and friendly locals, excellent accommodation, and a rich culture, history, and heritage. Tourists can enjoy a fulfilling and enriching trip in this extraordinary region, visiting the National Park, canoeing at the lakes, or shopping at local markets. An enjoyable and healthy activity to do is to go for a hike. Here are 4 fantastic hikes that travelers can enjoy in and around Arusha.
- Ngurdoto Crater
One of the top locations in the Arusha region, the swampy Ngurdoto Crater is a great spot for nature lovers to visit. The area is covered with a dense rainforest, and is home to a number of exotic birds and animals. The volcanic crater is 3.6km wide and 100m deep. It is a caldera of an extinct volcano and is often called ‘little Ngorongoro’. Visitors can hike along the crater rim and enjoy the view of the National Park, and Mount Kilimanjaro. Here, tourists can spot animals such as duikers, antelopes, hyenas, colobus monkeys, baboons, antelopes, warthogs, dik diks, buffaloes, zebras, and giraffes. Tourists can also enjoy watching the colorful and beautiful birds, including hornbills, geese, herons, bee-eaters, and turacos.
- Ol Doinyo Lengai
Another great location where tourists can enjoy a leisurely hike, is Ol Doinyo Lengai, a stunning volcano located near the Gregory Rift. This extraordinary geological oddity is called “Mountain of God” by the locals, and is unique because its lava formations become hard mid-air. Tourists can hike up the slopes of the rock formations and see the active volcano vents. Visitors can also spot a rare lava called carbonatite, which is black but turns into white when it cools. This is the third highest peak in Tanzania, and the hike takes a total time of around 6-10 hours. The mountain stands at a height of 2962m, and the hike is adventurous and slightly dangerous as it is very steep, with a 1600m incline.
- Mount Meru
The spectacular Mount Meru can be reached by an hour-long drive from Arusha. This extraordinary location is great for hiking, as the active volcano reaches up to 4566m and is the fifth highest mountain in Africa. From the top, travelers can enjoy a breathtaking aerial view of the region, and see the dense rainforest and coffee plantations. The climb can take 3-4 days as adventure seekers hike to the top. Tourists move through grasslands, rainforests, desert uplands, moorlands, and alpine meadows. During the hike, they can spot animals such as buffaloes, warthogs, black and white colobus monkeys, elephants, baboons and giraffes!
- Olduvai Gorge
As it is located in the Ngorongoro District of the Arusha region, tourists can take a day trip to Olduvai Gorge, and enjoy a hike during which they explore the area and learn about its rich history. Here, scientists discovered a fossil of the first human species, dating back around 1.9 million years ago. Known as the “cradle of humankind,” this is a great spot for a hike, as tourists can move from Olduvai camp through the Gorge, watching wildlife such as giraffes, elephants, and lions. Visitors can observe ancient tools and learn about archeological discoveries!
