Tanzania
Arusha
Arusha: Safari Gateway Below Mount Meru
The site of Arusha was first settled in the 1830s by the Arusha Maasai, and the Germans built a fort there in 1900. In 1967 it gave its name to the Arusha Declaration, Julius Nyerere's statement of his political vision for Tanzania.
- Port traffic
- QuietNext 30 days
Good to know
Arriving in Arusha
Arusha is an inland city, not a port. Cruise travelers meet it at the start or end of an overland safari program, and Kilimanjaro International Airport, about 60 km east of the city, handles its international flights.
- You need a yellow fever vaccination certificate to enter Tanzania if you arrive from a country with a risk of transmission.
- Visas on arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport must be paid in US dollars; check the current fee and rules before you travel.
- The currency is the Tanzanian shilling (TZS), and US dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas.
- Arusha has many cash machines, and it is one of the last places to draw cash before Ngorongoro.
- Plastic bags are banned, and if you arrive by air you will be asked to hand over any you carry.
Arusha on Your Own
Arusha is where safari programs begin and end, so time on your own usually means a free morning before the drive to the parks or after you return. A museum, the markets and a taxi back to your hotel make a comfortable half day.
- Natural History Museum: The National Natural History Museum, on Boma Road in the old German boma built in 1900, has permanent exhibits on human evolution and on insects.
- Arusha Declaration Museum: On Kaloleni Road, it covers the colonial period, the struggle for independence and the 1967 declaration, and the large Declaration Monument is part of it.
- The markets: The central produce market sells food, cloth and small gifts to take home, and bargaining is expected. The Maasai market, aimed at visitors, sells carvings, paintings and beadwork.
- Taxis: Taxis are easy to find; agree the price before you set off. Daladala minibuses are cheap, but accidents and pickpocketing on them are common.
- Staying safe: Do not carry large amounts of cash or wear valuables in the street, and avoid walking at night. It is illegal to photograph or film protests, so keep away from any demonstration.
- Back to your group: Your program sets the meeting time for the drive to the parks or to the airport, so keep any outing short on that day.
People and Culture
The Maasai and the Meru live in the country around Arusha, and cultural tourism programs in nearby villages introduce their herding, farming, stories and local economies. The region's people are Tanzanians of African, Arab and Indian descent, with small European and North American minorities.
- Programs at Ilkiding'a and Ng'iresi are within an hour's walk of the city, and others, such as Monduli Juu, Longido and Mulala, are within an hour's drive.
- The region's religions include Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism.
- Mount Meru, 4,667 meters high, can be climbed only with an escort of armed rangers.
- Parts of the 1960s film Hatari, starring John Wayne, were shot at the Momela Lakes and on Mount Meru.
A Brief History
Arusha grew from a farming settlement into a German garrison town, and since independence it has hosted treaties and courts that matter well beyond Tanzania. The city's museums cover both sides of that story.
- 1830s: The Arusha Maasai, farmers and herders, first settled the site and traded grain, honey and tobacco with their pastoral neighbors.
- 1896 and 1900: German forces conquered Arusha, and in 1900 they built a fort, the boma, using forced local labor.
- 1916: British troops took Arusha during the First World War.
- 1928 to 1929: The railway was extended from Moshi, and trade grew quickly.
- 1961: Documents handing independence to Tanganyika were signed by the United Kingdom in Arusha.
- 1967: President Julius Nyerere set out his political vision for the country in the Arusha Declaration.
- 1993 and 2000: The Arusha Accords for Rwanda and a peace agreement for Burundi were signed here.
- From 1994: The United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda sat in Arusha. It indicted 93 people and sentenced 62.
- 2012: Arusha was granted city status.
- To learn more ashore: The Arusha Declaration Museum on Kaloleni Road displays documents on Tanzania's colonial history, the fight for independence and the declaration itself.
Arusha with Children
Arusha is a staging point for a safari, so with children it pays to keep the day here light before long hours in a vehicle. A museum in the morning and a village walk for older children are enough.
- Younger children: The Natural History Museum's exhibit on insects makes a short first outing.
- School age: See the museum's exhibit on human evolution before you visit Olduvai Gorge on safari.
- Teenagers: Join a cultural tourism walk to a nearby village such as Ng'iresi.
- Everyone: Keep valuables out of sight, and stay off the streets after dark.
Port crowds
Next 30 days
Traveler photos
Photos from travelers
Reviews
Traveler reviews
Be the first to share your experience.
Suggest an edit
See something missing or incorrect?