First gazetted in 1960 as Ngurdoto Crater National Park and expanded in 1967 to encompass Mount Meru, Arusha National Park protects 137 square kilometers of remarkably diverse landscapes just outside Arusha city. Despite its compact footprint, the park encompasses three distinct ecological zones: Mount Meru (Tanzania's second-highest mountain at 4,566 meters), the seven alkaline Momella Lakes, and the volcanic Ngurdoto Crater, often nicknamed "Little Ngorongoro." Named after the indigenous Waarusha people who historically inhabited the surrounding highlands, the park serves as an essential sanctuary for black-and-white colobus monkeys, high concentrations of Masai giraffes, flamingos, and over 400 species of resident and migratory birds.