Arusha is the safari capital of the world but
it’s often unfairly overlooked in favour of its
more glamorous, better known neighbours;
Serengeti, Lake Manyara and Ngorongoro Crater.
But Arusha has a wealth experiences to offer
tourists from safaris in Arusha National Park,
to breathtaking hiking on Mount Meru, cultural
tours, Tanzanite and more.
Arusha National Park rolls out like a patchwork
quilt of contrasting landscapes, verdant forest
where black and white colobus monkeys chatter
and play, savannah and moorland, the Momella
Lakes with acid pink fl amingos, wallowing
hippos, delicate herons, and shaggy waterbuck.
Giraff e, elephant, zebra roam the green
foothills. Eagles and buzzard soar above
Ngurdoto Crater, buff alo and antelope wander
through the forest fringed rim. Bushbuck pick
their way through the ancient cedar trees,
volcanic cones lead the way up towards Mount
Meru and Kilimanjaro stands proud and majestic
on the horizon.
Mount Meru is Africa’s fi fth highest peak, a
dormant volcano, once worshipped as a rain god
by the Arusha and Meru people. The mountain
provides combines challenging climbing and
breathtaking scenery as an aff ordable
alternative to Kilimanjaro.
Arusha Town grew up from a German settlement on
the Boma Road, built by Masaai labour.
Plantations of sisal, tea and coff ee thrived
and the city fl ourished. Known as the Geneva of
Africa, Arusha is home to the International
Human Rights tribunal and several NGOs. The
Kilimanjaro airport provides local and
international transport links, making Dar,
Zanzibar and remote safari camps only a plane
ride away.
Agriculture and tourism are the two main
components of Arusha’s economy and the two meet
in cultural tourism. There’s tours of the coff
ee plantations, Tanzanian cookery courses,
workshops in drum making and batik, giving you
an insight into local life. Arusha is also home
to the Maasai people. With their red shukas,
beaded jewellery, spears and nomadic warrior
traditions, the Maasai have become one of
Africa’s most iconic tribes, with an aura of
mystery about them. Maasai communities open up
their villages to tourists with guided tours
lasting from anything from half a day to three
days. Walk through the forests gathering plants
with a traditional healer, make cheese and ugali
with the women, learn traditional songs and
observe their pastoral lifestyle.
If you need to do souvenir shopping, Arusha is a
noted crafts centre. The Cultural Heritage
Centre in town boasts an array of superb Makonde
carvings, Tingatinga paintings, gifts and
curios. If you’re looking for a more exclusive
gift, Arusha is the best place to buy Tanzanite,
a brilliant blue gemstone found in the hills
surrounding Arusha and Moshi. The gemstone is
used by the Maasai to celebrate birth and gained
international prominence after a Tanzanite was
featured in the movie Titanic as the centre
jewel to the Heart of the Ocean necklace.
There’s a relaxed atmosphere to Arusha in the
evenings, with a good choice of restaurants off
ering Swahili, Indian and international cuisine.
There’s live music in the evenings, with
everything from jazz and salsa, to local hip
hop, traditional music and full moon parties in
the bush.
So, if you’re heading out on safari, or
returning from days of game driving, Arusha is
well worth a visit.
