Arusha Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Arusha is a city of approximately 400,000 people in northern Tanzania, East Africa. It is regarded as the gateway to the popular Northern Safari Circuit.
Contents |
Understand
Arusha is situated at the foot of Mount Meru, Africa's 5th highest mountain. The altitude gives the city a pleasant climate and lush green environment.
Arusha is not a particularly attractive city in itself and is regarded by many visitors as little more than a necessary stopover before their safari starts in earnest. However, the natural charm of the Tanzanians and the buzz of a fast-growing city mean that Arusha has plenty to offer for those who are prepared to see beyond their air-conditioned safari trucks and satellite-TV hotel rooms.
Get in
Arusha is served by two airports. Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) has regular flights to Amsterdam with KLM, and to Addis Abbaba, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Nairobi. Kilimanjaro Airport is approximately 60km (45 minutes) from the city centre. A taxi ride costs $50 but many airlines run a free shuttle service. Arusha Municipal Airport is on the outskirts of the city but only runs domestic flights, mostly to Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam, and charters.
Arusha can be reached by coach from Nairobi (6 hours) and Dar es Salaam (12 hours). Some companies offer first-class tickets which are slightly more comfortable although it is worth noting that standards are generally comparable with most African bus services. Moshi can be reached in about one hour. there are various shuttle buses between Arusha and Moshi which are more comfortable than coaches.
Get around
The main mode of public transport is daladala, the ubiquitous minibuses which ply their trade on all the main routes in town. Although very cheap they will become very cramped and safety is a serious consideration. Accidents involving daladalas are frequent and usually with serious consequences for the passengers. Taxis are plentiful and cheap. It is best to agree a price before leaving for your destination. Car hire is possible though most companies prefer to provide their own drivers.
See
Arusha is home to the UNICTR, the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. It is also the site of the signing of the Arusha Declaration.
Do
Buy
Eat
Arusha has a wide variety of restaurants and informal eating places, with a predominance of Indian cuisine. Meals range from US$ 0.80 for street fare to $15 for main courses at the high-end hotels.
Drink
Arusha has many interesting bars and restaurants. As a rule the best food is Indian, thanks to the large sub-continental community in the city. Ngalawa in Njiro and Big Bite on the Swahili Road are among the most popular Indian restaurants. For 'Nyama Choma', or Tanzanian roast meat, Nick Bar in Njiro is also popular. There are uncountable local bars which are generally welcoming to adventurous foreigners. The less adventurous visitors stick to Via Via, in the grounds of the old German fort, which is an interesting cultural centre and part of an NGO which trains locals in the hospitality industry. There are plenty of options for bars and restaurants for those who for some reason seem to wish to avoid locals altogether but these places are very easy to find and hardly worth listing here. For nightclubs, the Colobus Club, Maasai Camp, Triple A, 777 and Polygon Triangle are popular with locals and foreigners alike. They start late and finish very, very late (or early). Pickpockets have been known to operate and all these bars are popular with the local sex workers so the usual discretion should be applied.
Sleep
Arusha has plentiful accommodation to cater to all ends of the scale. For budget travellers, many recommend the Maasai Camp (near the city centre) or the Snake Park (which is in a village called Meserani, about 10 miles out on the Dodoma Road). These are both lively locations with popular bars and good services at a very low price. There are many hotels in the centre of the town, including the international-grade Mount Meru hotel and the New Arusha. You won't get any surprises in this sort of accommodation. At the highest end of the scale there are numerous luxurious lodges in and around the city, some of which offer stunning scenery and the best standard of accommodation. Worth a mention is the Kigongoni Lodge which is run by an NGO. All the profits go to support a local school for mentally handicapped children so that you can stay in luxury while helping the nearby community.
Stay safe
Arusha is a moderately safe city by African standards, though all normal precautions should be observed. Caution should be taken when walking around the central, tourist district during the day as bag-snatching and camera thesft have been reported. It is not advisable to walk at night. When walking in any part of the city beyond the central district, it is advisable to take a guide.
Get out
- Arusha National Park
- Ngorongoro Crater
- Lake Manyara
- Serengeti
- Kilimanjaro
| This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow! |
