Built by the Germans during the colonial times, Arusha was small village now turned into the safari capital of Africa. Today Arusha is a quickly growing city with over 1.7M inhabitants.
History
Germans built Arusha in the 19th century as adminstration center, Arusha was a small village with some shops close to the roundabout. From its sleepy status in the middle of the countryside, it has now grown and developed into one of the country’s most prosperous and thriving towns. Arusha receives around 800,000 visitors every year and has a myriad of colorful markets, shops, exciting night life with innumerable bars and restaurants that provide plenty of fun, activities and entertainment to warrant a longer stay.
Headquarters of the East African Community and United Nations Criminal Tribunal for Rwandan genocide are based in Arusha at Arusha International Conference Center.
Location
Known as the safari capital of Africa, Arusha is located in the highlands of North Tanzania, with both of the Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru peaks towering overhead. Arusha is perfectly located in the fertile valley beneath the mountain ranges where farmlands produce half of the nation’s wheat, as well as a significant amount of beans, coffee, vegetables, as well as pyrethrum, maize, and bananas for export. Arusha is also ideally located as a departure point into the northern circuit of the Tanzanian wilderness. Arusha National Park, Lake Manyara National Park and Tarangire National Park are less than a day’s journey away from the city.
Other famous landmarks include Ngorongoro crater one of the Eighth Wonder of the World, the amazing Serengeti plain and wildebeests migration, Olduvai Gorge archeological site, the towering snow-capped slopes of Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain.
Climate
Even though Arusha is close to the equator, the city’s elevation at 1400 meters, and the fact that it is located on the Southern region of the Mount Meru climate, Arusha keeps an average temperature that is usually pleasant, with regular humidity levels and comfortable temperatures. Thanks to the proximity of Mount Meru, cool, dry air is normal for most of the year in the region, with temperatures averaging between 13 and 30 degrees Celsius. The Arusha area gets a regular wind coming from the Indian Ocean, a few hundred miles to the east, and also has clearly defined dry and wet seasons.
Arrival and Information
All major roads cross Arusha to the most important destinatios of Tanzania and Kenya, domestic and international airport connect Arusha to major Tanzania and Africa destinations in only some hours flight. Several international airlines (Ethiopian Airways, KLM, Qatar Airways, and others) land at JRO Kilimanjaro International Airport. Custom and passport formalities are efficient and you can obtain your Visa at the airport immigration desk if you haven’t already got one.
Transport
Daladalas (town mini-buses) cover much of the town’s outskirts. Taxis can be rented outside the airport. Bodaboda are motorbike taxis used to move quickly in the traffic.
