Heritage and Habitat: Serval Wildlife Sanctuary

Serval Wildlife is a private conservation sanctuary on the eastern edge of Arusha that has become one of the most respected rescue and rehabilitation centres in Tanzania. Set on a former coffee estate on the slopes of Mount Meru, the sanctuary cares for animals that have been orphaned, illegally trafficked, injured on roads or handed in from wildlife-human conflict. The focus is quiet, low-stress care and, where possible, release back into partner reserves.

This day trip is designed to let you spend meaningful time behind the scenes with the animals and the conservation team. You are met on arrival by one of the resident biologists and taken on a guided walking tour through the sanctuary's spacious, naturalistic enclosures. Depending on which animals are in care at the time of your visit, you may see cheetah, serval and caracal, spotted hyena, striped hyena, honey badger, several species of primate, and rescued eland, waterbuck, oryx and duiker.

The middle of the day is built around education - feeding sessions with the carnivore keepers, an introduction to the sanctuary's veterinary clinic, and a talk on the illegal wildlife trade and how the sanctuary works with TAWA and the Wildlife Division to intercept and rehabilitate confiscated animals. Lunch is a farm-to-table meal on the estate's terrace, using produce grown on-site.

The afternoon is spent on a gentle walk through the surrounding coffee-and-forest gardens, watching for the resident colobus and blue monkey troops and the sanctuary's free-flying birds. You are back in Arusha by early evening.