Safari Activities at Momella Lakes
Momella Lakes provide a serene and uncrowded safari experience with a range of exciting activities tailored for both nature lovers and adventure seekers. Some of the most immersive safari experiences here include:
Canoe Safaris on the Lakes
One of the unique offerings of Arusha National Park is the opportunity to explore the Momella Lakes via guided canoe safaris. These excursions allow guests to glide silently across the placid waters, offering a rare vantage point for spotting hippos wallowing, buffalo grazing on the shoreline, and a dazzling array of birdlife. It's a peaceful, intimate experience where you can feel part of the landscape rather than just observing it.
Game Drives
Game drives through the park’s network of trails bring visitors close to diverse wildlife, including giraffes, zebras, bushbucks, waterbucks, warthogs, and occasionally leopards and hyenas. Drives along the lakefront offer fantastic photo opportunities, especially in the early morning and late afternoon when the light is golden and animals are most active.
Guided Walking Safaris
Led by professional park rangers, walking safaris are a thrilling way to experience the African bush. These walks around the lakes and through the surrounding forests allow you to encounter small mammals, birds, unique plant species, and learn about traditional uses of native flora. The sensory experience of walking in the wild—smelling crushed leaves, hearing distant animal calls, and tracking footprints—is unmatched.
Boat Excursions
In addition to canoeing, some parts of the lakes support motorised boat tours, especially during the wetter months. These tours offer a different perspective and allow visitors to venture deeper into the wetlands to observe large congregations of flamingos, African spoonbills, and other exotic wading birds.
Wildlife and Birdlife Highlights
Though the alkaline waters do not support fish, the Momella Lakes are a birdwatcher’s paradise, home to over 400 bird species. Among the most commonly spotted are:
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Flamingos (both lesser and greater) create vibrant pink bands along the lake edges
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Great Crested Grebes and Maccoa Ducks diving in search of aquatic invertebrates
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Sacred Ibis, Hadada Ibis, Cormorants, Herons, and Kingfishers
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Seasonal migratory birds from Europe and other parts of Africa
On land, you might spot buffaloes, giraffes, warthogs, and blue monkeys, particularly near water sources and in adjacent savanna and forest zones.
