Top places to visit in Arusha

• Cultural Heritage Centre

  Market · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h

  Vast gallery and craft complex selling Tanzanite, Makonde carvings and pan-African art under a landmark spear-shaped roof.

• Arusha Clock Tower

  Heritage · 4.2 rating · about 0.3 h

  Landmark roundabout said to mark the midpoint between Cairo and Cape Town, the symbolic centre of safari town.

• Arusha National Park

  Wildlife · 4.5 rating · about 6 h · entry USD 53

  Compact, scenic park with Ngurdoto Crater, the Momella Lakes flamingos, giraffe and Mount Meru forest walks.

• Mount Meru

  Nature · about 4 h

  Tanzania's second-highest peak (4,566 m), a striking dormant volcano and popular acclimatisation climb for Kilimanjaro.

• Tarangire National Park

  Wildlife · about 8 h · entry USD 59

  Baobab-dotted park with Tanzania's densest elephant herds and huge dry-season wildlife concentrations along the Tarangire River.

• Lake Manyara National Park

  Wildlife · about 5 h · entry USD 59

  Rift Valley park famed for tree-climbing lions, flamingos on the soda lake and a lush groundwater forest.

• Meserani Snake Park

  Wildlife · about 1.5 h · entry USD 10

  Popular roadside reptile park and Maasai cultural museum west of Arusha with snake and crocodile exhibits.

Things to do

• Tarangire National Park Day Safari Wildlife · 10 h · from USD 180 per person
• Lake Manyara National Park Day Safari Wildlife · 9 h · from USD 170 per person
• Arusha National Park Day Trip Wildlife · 8 h · from USD 150 per person
• Cultural Heritage Centre & Craft Tour Cultural · 2 h · from USD 20 per person
• Mount Meru 4-Day Trek Nature · 96 h · from USD 900 per person

Day trips and tours

• Tarangire National Park Day Safari 10 h · from USD 180
• Lake Manyara Day Safari 9 h · from USD 170

Where to stay in Arusha

• Arusha City Centre about TZS 120 per night

  Convenient base near tour operators, banks and the clock tower for organising safaris.

• Usa River about TZS 160 per night

  Leafy countryside retreats between Arusha and Kilimanjaro airport, close to Arusha National Park.

Hotels

• Arusha Coffee Lodge 5-star
• Mount Meru Hotel 4-star
• Kibo Palace Hotel 4-star

Where to eat

• Africafe Cafe, International · about TZS 20,000 per person
• Khan's BBQ Barbecue, Indian, Local · about TZS 15,000 per person
• Fifi's Restaurant International, Bakery · about TZS 22,000 per person

Getting around

• Minibus main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Offroad Vehicle main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Ride Hail main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Tuktuk main way to get around

  Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.

• Walking

  Every city has walking. 2.5 km ceiling is a placeholder default, not a researched per-city figure -- Singapore is sheltered and air-conditioned, Bangkok often has no pavement.

Safety and scams to avoid

• Flycatcher safari touts

  Around the clock tower & bus stand

  Street agents ("flycatchers") sell cut-price safaris on behalf of unregistered operators, then disappear with the deposit or deliver a poor-quality trip.

  How to avoid it: Only book with a TATO-registered operator with a physical office; verify licences and never pay large cash deposits.

More in Tanzania

• Zanzibar (Stone Town)
• Serengeti (Seronera)
• Ngorongoro (Karatu)
• Moshi (Kilimanjaro)
• Dar es Salaam