Best Tourist Places to Visit in Arusha, Tanzanian East Africa, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Arusha, Tanzanian East Africa, Africa

Arusha is a Tanzanian city located in the northern part of the country, functioning as the administrative centre of the Arusha Region. It is located on the foot of the Mount Meru, encircled by many opulent national parks, which makes Arusha as a gateway to many wonderful natural destinations in the country. Arusha also headquarters the East African Community. Arusha is situated around 640 km northwest of the country’s largest city, Dar es Salaam and 420 km northeast of Dodoma, the capital of Tanzania. Arusha is located at an elevation of 1,400 metres, between 3°22′ S latitude and 36°41′ E longitude.

History of Arusha:

Arusha originated in the year 1900 during the German colonial rule as a part of the German East Africa. Arusha got its name from Wa-Arusha, one of the local tribes. Arusha upgraded as a town in 1948 and got city rights in July 2010.

How to reach Arusha?

Arusha hosts an international airport, Kilimanjaro International Airport, is situated around 60 km away from the heart of Arusha. The airport receives flights from Amsterdam, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Nairobi and many other world cities. Shuttle service, provided by airlines, free or costs US$10, from the airport to the city centre. Taxi generally costs around US$50 for the same distance.

The bus transportation of Arusha extends to Dar es Salaam and many other larger cities in the country. Minibuses, taxis and rental cars are the options to get around Arusha.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Arusha:

Arusha is a multi-religion city, home to Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu people. Agricultural event, Nane Nane, is one of the grand cultural events taking place in Arusha.

Must try dishes in Arusha are Nyama Choma, Kiti moto, Kuku choma and Chips mayai. Handicraft products and hand-beaded jewelry should be purchased in Arusha.

Things to do in Arusha:

Arusha National Park Tour
Tarangire National Park Tour
Safari
Mountain climbing

What to see in Arusha?

Arusha National Park:

Established in 1960, the Arusha National Park is spread over an area of 137 sq. km, dominated by the Mount Meru, the 2^nd highest peak of Tanzania, following the Africa’s highest peak Mount Kilimanjaro. The park is located around 25 km east of the city of Arusha.

Tarangire National Park:

The Tarangire National Park is one of the prominent national parks of Tanzania, famous as a paradise for bird lovers. Apart from birds, the park is also rich in animal population, including elephants and tree climbing lions. Arusha is the nearest city to the park.

Lake Manyara National Park:

Occupying an area of 325 km², the Lake Manyara National Park is well known for Lake Manyara, where visitors can spot abundant of flamingos. The park is situated around 120 km southwest of Arusha, can be reached by a rental car.

Century Cinema:

The Century Cinema is one of the renowned entertainment centres in Arusha, exhibiting latest Hollywood and Bollywood releases. There is also a famous Indian restaurant “Khan’s” within the complex.

Ngorongoro Crater:

Situated within Ngorongoro Conservation Area, the Ngorongoro Crater is renowned as the largest intact and inactive volcanic caldera in the world and houses more than 25,000 large animals. It is worth a trip.

List of other places of interest in Arusha includes:

Ol Doinyo Lengai
Cultural Heritage Centre Arusha
Meserani Snake Park
Kilimanjaro Golf
Olduvai Gorge
Mount Kilimanjaro
Serengeti
Lake Manyara
Bishop’s Cathedral of Arusha
Arusha Clock Tower
The National Natural History Museum

When to visit Arusha?

Arusha is a year round destination, although the tour of Arusha can be experienced best between July and November.

Where to stay in Arusha?

Arusha is a city for all types of tourists with all sorts of accommodation centres, including world class hotels Impala Hotel and the Arusha Hotel. Advance booking is preferred by those hotels. Here are some standard hotels in Arusha: