Arusha is a city of approximately 416,000 people (2012) in the northeast of Tanzania. It is regarded as the gateway to the popular Northern Safari Circuit.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
Arusha, called "A Town" by the locals, 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. Arusha is home to the UNICTR, the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
The main mode of public transport is "daladala", the ubiquitous minibuses which ply their trade on all the main routes in town. They are very cheap. The government regulates all pricing of transportation in Tanzania. Prices are listed on the sides of the daladala for each distance or stop covered. You are not obliged to pay above that price. As with most destinations in the world, they will try to fit as many people as possible to maximize their profits. Accidents involving daladalas are frequent and usually with serious consequences for the passengers.
1 Arusha Declaration Museum. Dedicated to the 1967 Arusha Declaration, which remains one of the most prominent attempts to define African socialism. It defined the political course of Tanzania for several decades. The museum also includes the large Declaration Monument. (updated Mar 2018) 2 Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre, ☏ +255 27 254 7548. (updated Jun 2022) 3 Arusha National Natural History Museum, ☏ +255 27 254 5540. (updated Jun 2022) Tanzania Tourist Board can arrange cultural excursions to nearby villages for Tsh 15,000-50,000.
Century Cinema has movies for Tsh 5,000-7,000. It is part of a modern complex on Njiro Rd, which also houses modern and upmarket restaurants including popular Indian restaurant "Khan's", steak outlet "McMoody's" and multi-cuisine restaurant "Spice Retreat". However, Njiro Rd is not safe to walk on at night, so get to the complex by another form of transport rather than by foot. A taxi to/from the town centre shouldn't cost more than Tsh 4,000. Climb Mount Meru (4,667 m). It can be done in 3–4 days, depending on your condition. You are not required to take guides and porters up Mount Meru, but you must be escorted by armed rangers.
Arusha has a wide variety of restaurants and informal eating places, with a predominance of Indian cuisine, which as a rule of thumb is the best food, thanks to the large sub-continental community in the city. Liquid Blue in Njiro and Big Bite on the Swahili Rd are among the most popular Indian restaurants. For 'Nyama Choma', or Tanzanian roast meat, Nick Bar in Njiro is also popular. Meals range from US$ 0.40 for street fare to US$15 for main courses at the high-end hotels. 1 Africafe Coffee House, Old Boma Rd (near to the Clock tower). 8AM-8PM. Stylish European cafe, that is famous with foreigners.
Arusha has many interesting bars and restaurants. 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; these places are very easy to find. For nightclubs, the Velocity, 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).
It is not advisable to walk at night, alone or in groups - cabs are plentiful but fares should always be agreed upon at the start of a journey (cabs have no meters, making it all too easy to exaggerate fares at the end of a journey). Avoid taking motorcycle taxis, especially at night in front of clubs. Thieves easily use this opportunity to rob people. In the city centre (on Sokoine road) and in certain areas (along old Moshi road) there are frequent attacks on tourists, especially when they are walking with their backpacks/bags.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Arusha typically sees ~22°C daytime highs and 8 rainy days.
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