Kilimanjaro (5895m)

Tackle the highest mountain in Africa! We suggest a combination of the most attractive routes on offer: Machame (for the ascent) and Mweka (for the descent). No mountain climbing experience is needed for this route. Naturally, we would also be happy to arrange tours via the other available routes on Kilimanjaro.

Mt. Meru (4566m)

Mt Meru, Tanzania’s second highest mountain, towers over the Arusha NP. A trek to the summit and back takes 3 to 4 days with accommodation in huts. The rewarding climb offers spectacular scenery and a breathtaking view across to the majestic Kilimanjaro. Mt. Meru is also an excellent way to acclimatize before taking on its big brother, Kilimanjaro!

Arusha Nationalpark

This park offers an exceptionally diverse landscape to the visitor. Flocks of flamingos gather at the Momella Lakes and, from the Mt Meru crater rim, there is a spectacular, sweeping view over the national park across to the Ngurdoto Crater. Elephants, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, numerous buffaloes and many other animals are to be observed in the park. In the western part of the park, Mt. Meru (4566m) and its steep crater rim rises dramatically out of the thick forest. Apart from game drives in a vehicle, hikes are also possible in the company of an armed ranger.

Trekking in Arusha NP

The road from the Ngongare Gate leads through the densely wooded forests, home to the beautiful black and white Colobus monkey, which surround the lower slopes of Mt. Meru to the Momella Gate. It is here at the Momella Gate where we meet the armed ranger who will accompany us on our tour. The path winds its way past fascinating scenery whose habitat encompasses savanna, montane rainforest and alpine moorland. Along the way, if one is quiet, numerous animal observations are possible. From a safe distance numerous buffaloes can be observed and it is also possible to get quite near to some of the many giraffes (Tanzania’s national emblem) in the park. On the way back down to the Momella Gate a slight detour is possible to see the Tululusia Waterfalls.

Lake Manyara National Park

This park, whose surface comprises of two-thirds water – a shallow, alkaline lake at the base of the western part of the Great East African Rift Valley – is home to a wide variety of animals ranging from elephant, buffalo, giraffe and hippos to troops of baboons. The lake itself offers a nutrient-rich location for hundreds of flamingos and other rare birds like the gigantic ground hornbill are also to be seen in the park. Lake Manyara NP is also famous for its tree-climbing lions which, with a lot of luck, may be seen from your safari vehicle.

Ngorongoro Crater / Ngorongoro Conservation Area

The Ngorongoro Crater, since 1978 a World Heritage Site, is only accessible with an all-wheel drive vehicle. Gigantic herds of zebras and wildebeest move across this 260km² crater floor whose landscape varies between steppe, lakes, bush and open grassland. Rhinoceroses, elephants, lions and cheetahs can be sighted here and, at the water holes, numerous hippopotami. Bernhard Grzimek (author of the book Serengeti shall not die) once said: "It is impossible to describe in words the size and beauty of the crater. It is one of the Wonders of the World". From the crater edge (2286m) the visitor is rewarded with an overwhelming view down into the “Garden of Eden”.

Serengeti

This is probably the most famous national park in the world and a tour covering several days, in combination with the Lake Manyara NP and the Ngorongoro Crater, personifies the perfect safari. Alternatively, access to the park, if one is on a tight time budget, is also available by airplane from Arusha. The national park covers a surface of nearly 15,000km². It is here where, with a bit of luck, your chances of coming face to face with the well-known "Big Five" may become reality. It is even possible to witness cheetahs on the hunt and in the rivers, crocodiles and hippopotami are to be seen. However, the Serengeti is most famous for its annual wildebeest migration. These animals, accompanied by sheer numbers of zebra and antilope, cross the Serengeti Plains followed by lions, cheetahs and hyenas.

Hiking "Between the Volcanoes"

Meru View Lodge lies between two massive dormant volcanoes. The Mt. Meru (4566 m) rises dramatically out of the ground only a few kilometres away and, approx. 60 km away, the world-renowned 5895-m-high Kilimanjaro dominates the landscape. Our hike leads us through the neighbouring settlements belonging to the Bantu-speaking Wameru tribe. Only 800 m away from the Lodge lies the “border” to the Arusha national park. Sometimes, in the late afternoon, it is possible to see some of the giraffe or warthog. The first stop will be at a snake & reptile farm. Here, anti-serums are produced for the treatment of snakebites and it is also a breeding centre for chameleons. Even some Nile crocodiles have found a home here. During the walk we will cross a row of private Shambas (farms) belonging to the Wameru. This tribe have devoted their life to agriculture and grow primarily maize, bananas and different kinds of vegetables. Here, we will pause for a midday culinary stop in order to try the cooking bananas popular with the Wameru or "ugali" – Tanzania’s staple diet made from maize flour. For "tea time" we will return to the Lodge

Olpopongi

After passing the busy city of Arusha we will head northwards. Shortly before the Namanga border crossing to Kenya we reach Longido - the name given to the mountain which overlooks the wide, open Maasai land. In the life of these tall, nilotic-speaking, semi-pastoral people who wear red, chequered garments (shuka), their cattle still play a dominating role. In the presence of a Maasai guide we will discover the savanna and lower slopes of the Longido mountain, get to know the medical uses of different herbal plants and receive a small introduction into the strict informal structures, the life-style as well as the complex age-set system of our hosts. In the evening we return to the Meru View Lodge.

Usa River walk

Only a few kilometres away from the Lodge along the main Moshi-Arusha road lies the small but vibrant village Usa River. Market day, which takes place on Wednesdays and Sundays, is the best day to visit. Clothes, shoes and a wide variety of other products are sold or auctioned here. Fruits and vegetables from the Wameru home gardens and also those from the coastal region may also be seen on display. Our path which leads from the market turns towards the mouth of the brook " Maji ya Chai " which, when translated literally, means “tea water”. Here, the brook flows through the midst of banana plantations into the Usa River. After the fruits are harvested, the banana trunk is used as cattle feed or also as a “water sponge” for other plants. Due to the favourable climatic conditions and the continuous presence of water even rice is planted, often several times in the year, in Usa River. Nevertheless, the best known product of the region is the excellent Arabica coffee (highland coffee). During the walk we will visit a plantation and get to know a little bit more about the cultivation and processing of this popular European drink. Returning to Usa River our next destination will be a restaurant better known by the locals as "Dinah" where we can enjoy a sumptuous buffet. Depending on the day of the week, cooking bananas, sweet potatoes, African spinach, different kinds of meat and vegetables as well as the especially hot and spicy "Kachumbari" are served to whet any appetite. In the early afternoon we will return to the Lodge.