Arusha

Overview

Arusha is Tanzania's safari capital — a lively, welcoming highland city at the foot of Mount Meru that serves as the gateway to the country's legendary northern safari circuit: Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and the start of the Kilimanjaro climb. Set at 1,400 metres in the shadow of the 4,566m Mount Meru, Arusha enjoys a beautifully temperate climate and a cosmopolitan energy fuelled by its status as East Africa's most important safari hub. The city punches above its weight in cultural and historical significance too. Arusha National Park sits literally on its doorstep, offering a half-day safari experience with giraffe, buffalo and flamingo within minutes of the city centre. The Arusha Declaration Museum commemorates the founding of Tanzania's political independence movement, while the Cultural Heritage Centre houses one of the finest collections of East African art, craft and gemstones in the region, including Tanzanite — a gemstone found nowhere else on Earth outside a small area near Kilimanjaro. Arusha also hosts the Arusha International Conference Centre, site of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the East African Court of Justice, lending the city a significance that extends well beyond tourism into the fabric of regional history and governance. For travellers combining Uganda and Tanzania safaris, Arusha is the logical African hub — connecting flights from Entebbe via Nairobi are under two hours, and the northern circuit can be covered in 5–10 days from Arusha.