Mountain biking in Arusha National Park

Connect with nature on this relaxed mountain bike tour through Arusha National Park. The trip lasts around three hours and starts at the Momela Gate, which leads down to a single track through the forest. The idea is to get people out of their cars, to reconnect with the earth and encourage sustainability. You’ll be fitted out with top-quality mountain bikes and safety gear for the trip, which is all about highlighting Arusha’s natural history and wildlife.

We mainly cycle downhill through ancient forest, with huge trees. We’re on the slopes of Mount Meru, a large volcano, and in places there are ponds which draw fantastic birdlife and animals such as bushbucks, zebra, warthogs and wildebeest. On one of our first rides in Arusha, an old, extremely tall giraffe emerged from the forest and walked straight past us – it was one of the most amazing wildlife encounters I’ve had in the park.

We also stop at viewpoints where you can chat with your guide and learn about Arusha’s geography and wildlife. In some places, you have views that stretch for 100 kilometres over the park, with thick forest canopy below. To ensure the experience is as intimate as possible, we take a maximum of eight guests per tour and include plenty of rest stops so you can savour the scenery.

I think guests enjoy being on a bike because it brings them closer to nature. Inside the forest, you’re on a single track surrounded by trees – it’s just pure peace. It can be a struggle to detach yourself from the modern, technological world but if you’re on a mountain bike you’re active, your heart is pumping and you feel so much more connected to the world. This isn’t a fitness activity though, our aim is to provide a laid-back, educational experience in the wilds of Arusha National Park.