EXPLORE ARUSHA.
Arusha city is the stopover to various safari trip. If you take your time staying abit longer there is plenty to see and do in this town. Arusha, locally known as “A-town” is a great place to experience Tanzanian life as far as culture is concern. It has a lot of events which is probably one of the reasons for gaining its popularity worldwide.
THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN ARUSHA.
Arusha offers a wide array of places to go which include national parks, game reserves, mountains and plenty of water bodies also things to do which include game drives, canoeing, walking and hiking. So, here are my personal recommendations on the best things places in Arusha and what activities can be done in those areas.
Arusha National Park.
At you free time you can go for a day trip to Arusha national park. Rich with variety of wild animal despite the small size the park has some of animals like zebra, buffalo and giraffe. Also you have a high position to seeing hippos, elephants, hyenas and leopards although this last four sightings are rare in the area. Walking safaris are also possible here and may be included as part of your package.
Canoeing at lake duruti.
Canoeing is among the plenty activities that can be conducted in Tanzanian attractions. This Crater Lake is from the foothill of Mount Meru, it is truly an off the beaten track. The view of the surrounding area and the shores of the lake provide a magnificent site and canoeing with the local boats if you want to. The area attracts many beautiful birds, including egrets, grey herons, kingfishers as well as primates it’s a sweet place for nature walk and bird lovers.
Meserani snake park.
This park is a little further out of Arusha, it has over land truck work shop, culture, museum, Maasai market and it has a wide range of snakes, some birds of prey and crocodiles.
Swim at chemka hot springs.
Chemka hot spring is one of the popular places where people go for day trips when its weekend. Is sometimes called Maji moto in Swahili though the water isn’t actually that hot. It’s a beautiful oasis and a great place to spend an afternoon, swimming, playing around on the rope swing and just chilling out.
You can also take a picnic with a company or friends, food and your favorite drinks also u can stay overnight but with individual equipment’s.
Climb mount meru.
Mount meru is a base where Arusha lies, which is the second tallest mount in Tanzania. It lies about 4562m, the hike at Meru Mountain is usually done over 3-4days to the top, you will get an incredible view of Mount Kilimanjaro around 50miles away.
Shop at the local market.
Visiting the local markets in Arusha is one of the best experiences where you can buy different food stuff, vessels, etc. In Arusha there’s the central market (soko kuu) and other small markets where you can purchase anything you wish.
Cultural Heritage center.
Arusha cultural heritage center which is an entre complex housing including museum, art galleries, antique shop, gift shops, a cinema, a spice center, a restaurant and coffee shop.
Shop at the Maasai market.
It is placed few meters away from Arusha’s clock tower (the center of town). There is array of souvenir on offer, such as paintings, clothing, jewelers and furniture. The real Maasai market is active all year round and all the days of the week people are working. It is easy to get to the market, it can be either by tax, motorcycle or a min bus (dala-dala).
Buy precious stone at the tanzanite experience.
Learn about the history of tanzanite, the beautiful blue or violet gemstone found only in northern Tanzania worldwide and you can take one back home as a souvenir.
Refresh at the machweo wellness retreat.
Want to refresh after a safari? Then to the spa at machweo which is just on the outskirt of town on the way to USA River. The most upmarket hotel in Arusha with incredible view of the Monduli Mountains. They have many different types of massage on offer including Swedish, D-stress, Thai, Hot stone, steam bath, sauna and few other treatments too.
Enjoy the local restaurants.
There are different nice restaurants and cafés in Arusha so you won’t spend a full day with an empty stomach.
Includes;
- Africafe: A café with coffee, cakes, sandwiches and Wi-Fi.
- Bravo pizza: The taste of a great pizza.
- George’s Traven: Greek, Italian European-style of meals.
- Fig & Olive: Mediterranean, Lebanese and Tanzania fusion restaurant.
- Khan’s barbecue: it’s a day garage and night restaurant owned by Mr. khan. It is one of the favorite place to eat, they serve a great selection of roasted meats (nyama choma) and accompaniments.
- Street food: there is a lot of food stalls around town selling different local food like grilled chicken, mishkaki (meat kebabs), samosas, chips mayai (French fries made with eggs).
Party at bars and clubs.
Also, in Arusha city there are the best night life scene and they tend to be a certain place that is popular on a specific night especially during the end of the week.
Some of the favorite places to go out includes;
- Via via: this is a place with different nights, movie night, them night, on Thursday night
it’s a busy day and lit party day and serve food and nyama choma BBQ.
- The Grand Melia Roof top: Grand Melia roof top is a beautiful place to be visited, they serve variety of cocktail and food also. And you can get a sweet view of mount meru.
- Zeze lounge: Popular lounge bar in Arusha with plenty of vibes.
- The Hub: A popular sweet chilling spot at noon sometime exhibition are done whereby people sell goods, souvenir and night it’s a club all way lit.
- Billy’s river: A popular club which has plenty of vibe.
