Tanzanian Safari Journal

Arusha National Park: A Hike To Meru Crater

mount meru by m wilkinson

On an unusually sunny morning near the end of our Tanzanian safari we picked up the two rangers who would accompany us on a hike to see the meadows and hillsides of some of the higher elevations within Arusha National Park.

Arusha is not as famous as other parks in Tanzania, such as Serengeti or the Ngorongoro Crater, but this is probably due more to its relatively small size than to the beauty and diversity of its landscape or wildlife. Although the park is less than 12 miles at its widest part, it contains open grassland, lakes, forest, swamp and volcanic slopes.

The Landrovers slowly bumped and jostled their way up through dense forest on the lower slopes. At one point the track passed through the middle of an immense fig tree that straddled the road. Eventually the trees thinned and we got out of the truck on an open promontory. The land fell away on one side while the bare rockface of the top of the volcano was occasionally visible through the clouds on the other. The main danger to hikers is the sometimes aggressive Cape buffalo, so we set out uphill with one ranger in the lead and one in the rear of the party.

The scenery was startlingly beautiful: rugged, but decorated with many different kinds of wildflowers. One foot tall Kniphofia flowers, miniature versions of the "red-hot pokers" found in European and American backyards, bloomed everywhere in shades of yellow and orange. The trees and bushes were festooned with Spanish moss.

mount meru by m wilkinson

Not far into the hike we all became aware of leaping movements in the grass as we walked. For the first time on our safari we were seeing amphibians. There were tiny frogs everywhere, although getting a good look at one was not easy as they hopped quickly for cover. I needed help from one of the rangers to persuade one specimen to stay still for a photograph.

Encountering only the droppings of buffalo and giraffe on our walk, rather than the live animals, we arrived safely back at camp. Outside of our tent I found a beetle, with psychedelic coloring, clinging to a blade of grass. I reflected that although we had seen some spectacular large animals during our stay in Africa, there were many small treasures that might be a little harder to see, but were well worth the look.

Entry by Wildlife Trust Members Sheila Vince and Michael Boss

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