Arusha is one of the most breathtaking tourist spots in Tanzania, and is a must see destination for travel lovers. This region is home to heavenly scenes of natural beauty, amazing wildlife, lively marketplaces, and a rich archeological and colonial history. Here are 10 tourist attractions that every visitor should see during their vacation in Arusha, Tanzania.
- Arusha National Park
Arusha National Park is one of the most spectacular safari parks in Tanzania. Here, tourists can enjoy exciting activities such as cycling tours, game drives, hot air balloon rides, or walking safaris. They can enjoy wildlife viewing as the park is home to monkeys, giraffes, elephants, hippos, gazelles, zebras, warthogs, bushbucks, leopards, hyenas, and buffaloes! The park is also an ideal spot for bird watching as travelers can spot beautiful and colorful birds such as geese, herons, pigeons, doves, bustards, crakes, shrikes, turacos, storks, pelicans, egrets, cormorants, lapwings, sandpipers, hawks, parrots, eagles, hornbills, ducks, guinea-fowl, woodpeckers, and flamingoes!
- Mount Meru
The spectacular mount meru stands at 4566m tall, and is one of the highest mountains in East Africa. Tourists can enjoy hiking and climbing to the top, going through a number of stunning landscapes, such as dense rainforest, grassland, alpine meadow, and desert upland. The climb is a must-have experience for adventure lovers. From the summit, they can enjoy a breathtaking aerial view of the forest and the nearby coffee plantations. During the hike, they can find wildlife such as baboons, giraffes, elephants, warthogs, black and white colobus monkeys, and buffaloes!
- Momella Lakes
The Momella Lakes are a great tourist spot as travelers can enjoy boating, canoeing, and bird watching. The seven shallow, alkaline lakes are called Tulusia, Small Momella, Big Momella, Kusare, Lekandiro, Rishateni, and El Kekhotoito. Wildlife watching and bird viewing is great as tourists can find dik diks, waterbucks, zebras, giraffes, ducks, pelicans, herons, eagles, and flamingos!
- Tanzanite Experience museum
The world’s only Tanzanite Museum is located in Arusha, and is a great place to learn about the precious and rare Tanzanite stone which is only found in Arusha. The interactive tours and visual exhibitions include a replica of a Tanzanite mine shaft so tourists can see how tanzanite was created, named, mined, cut, and polished. The museum is located in the center of Arusha and has a store attached to it, so tourists can buy precious gemstones and beautiful Tanzanite jewelry.
- Lake duluti
The mesmerizing Lake Duluti is a must-see spot for travelers in arusha. It is unique, because it used to be a mountain between Mount Meru and Kilimanjaro, but became a crater lake when it collapsed! Visitors can hike up to the forest, experience a canoe ride, or enjoy bird watching!
- Olduvai Gorge
Olduvai Gorge is a must-see location for travelers who would like to learn about the region’s rich history and heritage. Also known as Oldupai, this region is where scientists in the 1960s found evidence of the earliest humans. They discovered a fossil of the first human species, dating back to 1.9 million years ago, as well as ancient tools. Known as the “cradle of humankind,” this is a great spot for a hike, during which tourists can spot wildlife such as giraffes, elephants, and lions!
- Ngurdoto Crater
The swampy Ngurdoto Crater is covered with a dense rainforest, and is home to animals such as giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, hyenas, elephants, antelopes, colobus monkeys, leopards, baboons, warthogs, and dik diks. The volcanic crater is 3.6km wide and 100m deep, so tourists can enjoy hiking along the crater rim. The mesmerizing view of the surroundings includes the vast Arusha National Park and the stunning Mount Kilimanjaro. This is also an ideal place for bird watching as tourists can spot hornbills, geese, swifts, storks, herons, parrots, bee-eaters, and turacos.
- Old Boma Museum
An ideal spot for history lovers and knowledge seekers, the Old Boma Museum showcases the city’s history, culture and human evolution including archeological findings from Olduvai Gorge and Laetoli. Tourists can also learn about the history of Arusha during the German Colonial era.
Art enthusiasts can take arts and crafts lessons including painting, and drum making. The museum also hosts a mini-zoo, a mini-botanical garden, and a section for the study of insects.
- Meserani snake park
Meserani Snake Park is a unique location to see in arusha, and is perfect for tourists of all ages. Visitors can observe, hold, and learn about baby crocodiles, tortoises, and monitor lizards, and can spot dangerous snakes such as Black Mambas, African pythons, Black Spitting Cobras, Puff adders, Gaboon Vipers, Red Spitting Cobras, Green Mambas, and Egyptian Cobras.
- Chemka Hot Springs
Chemka hot springs are a must-see location for nature lovers. Also known as Kikuletwa, this is a geothermal oasis located near Arusha. At this extraordinary tourist spot, visitors can enjoy a picnic, observe the breathtaking flora and fauna, or swim in the hot springs.