Arusha is a city filled with life! Since it is the gateway to the northern safari circuit, you’re very likely to spend a
day or two in Arusha. There are many great places to explore in this wonderful city!
Here’s a complete list of places on your visit to Arusha City:

1. Arusha National Park
Located about 25 km away from Arusha (a drive of about 1.5 hours), the Arusha National Park is a spectacular
National Park filled with wildlife species including buffaloes, giraffes, elephants, lions, zebras and
monkeys. It also has beautiful landscapes, including the Meru Crater and the Ngurdoto Crater. The lush
rainforest near Ngurdoto Crater is home to red and white colobus monkeys.
Arusha National Park is also home to Mount. Meru, the second-highest mountain in Tanzania. Hiking up the
mountain is a thrilling and adventurous activity and many climb this mountain as a warm-up for
Kilimanjaro!
The Momella Lakes in Arusha National Park are also interesting sights: most often surrounded by hundreds of
thousands of pink flamingos.
Highlights:

● Diverse wildlife
● Beautiful scenery with Meru Crater and Ngurdoto Crater
● Mount Meru hiking trips
● A large population of flamingos
● Cave waterfalls
Best time to visit: June to October

2. Chemka Hot Springs
If you’re looking to relax and swim in a puddle of warm water, head over to the Chemka Hot Springs! It offers
the perfect retreat from the bustling city life of Arusha. The scenery is lush green and stunning with
palm trees hanging over the body of water. Enjoy a spa experience as the fish nibble away dead skin
from your feet!
Watch butterflies and dragonflies as they gracefully fly over the water. After a day of fun here, you can dine in
at the restaurants by the side of the water!
Highlights:

● Beautiful scenery
● Great for kids
● You can swim in the water
● Dead-skin eating fish
Best time to visit: Year-round

3. Lake Manyara National Park
Known for the hundreds of thousands of flamingos that line Lake Manyara and the tree-climbing lions, this
National Park is one of the most popular attractions in Tanzania. Watching a pride of lions chilling on
an acacia tree is fascinating!
The Park also has many other wildlife species including elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, hippos, zebras,
wildebeests, lions, hyenas and occasionally, wild dogs and leopards. The Park also has breath-taking
sceneries.
Tanzania is a great place to go on solo safaris. Here’s why a safari in Tanzania is perfect for solo travelers!
Highlights:

● Tree-climbing lions
● Flamingoes
● Excellent for birdwatching, over 400 species of birds
● Offers canoe safaris, night game drives and a breath-taking treetop walkway
Best time to visit: June to October (for wildlife viewing) and November to May (for birdwatching and
lush scenery)

4. Coffee Plantation Tour at Arusha
Many of Tanzania’s coffee farms are located around Arusha. Tanzania is a significant exporter of coffee, which
means you should enjoy fresh coffee at the farms around Arusha. Most farms offer tours, which are
concluded with a fresh cup of coffee for you, where you get to see the entire process from “beans to
brew”!
The coffee tastes rich and delicious! You can also buy some coffee to take back home!

5. Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum in Arusha, also called the Old Boma Museum, is a wonderful place to visit if
you’re a fan of archaeology. It’s built on an old German fort and contains some of the earliest fossil
remains of humans. The museum has three parts, one of which is devoted to the evolution of humans.
This is the most-frequented and fascinating part of the museums, and archaeologists from all over the
world visit this site.

6. Materuni Village
The Materuni Village, about 2.5 hours away from Arusha, consists of the Chagga tribe. They’re very welcoming
and hospitable. Visit the village and spend some time with them to get to know their culture. Don’t
forget to taste their banana beer and local food!

7. Maasai Market and Tanzanite Experience

Shop for amazing souvenirs and cultural items at the Maasai Market in Arusha. You’ll find everything you need
here, ranging from crockery to clothes. Don’t forget to check out the Tanzanite Experience in Arusha to
get the Tanzanite Stone, either in its pure form or integrated into some form of jewellery. It’s a gem
that’s exclusively found in Tanzania!

8. Meserani Snake Park
If you’re a fan of reptiles, head over to the Meserani Snake Park, which is located at a 40-minute drive from
Arusha. Learn some facts about snakes and other reptiles while you’re there. Since it’s on the way to
Ngorongoro and Serengeti, you can make a stop here on your way to a safari.
The park contains snakes, crocodiles, lizards, tortoises and also injured birds that wouldn’t otherwise survive
in the wild!

9. Cultural Heritage Centre
The Cultural Heritage Centre in Arusha is an all-in-one heritage centre with a museum, coffee shop,
restaurant, spice center and shops where you can buy jewellery, paintings and other forms of artwork.
It’s a great place to get souvenirs! You’ll also be supporting the local economy by shopping at the
Cultural Heritage Centre.

10. Best Restaurants and Cafes in Arusha
No trip to Arusha is complete without visiting some of the best restaurants and cafes in Arusha. Here are some
of the places you must try:
● Fifi’s
Famous for their baked goods and delicious breakfast items, Fifi’s is a great café and restaurant. They
have quiz nights every now and then – fun and interesting nights where you get to meet new
people and interact with the locals!
● Africafe
Africafe is a coffee shop that offers delicious coffee, fresh from the coffee plantations around Arusha!
● Khan’s barbecue
This famous restaurant offers traditional Swahili cuisine. Their barbecue tastes delicious and will leave
your taste buds asking for more!

So, what are you waiting for? Head over to Arusha and visit all of these wonderful places!