Amazing things to do in Arusha: Arusha is located in the northern part of the Republic of Tanzania, at the foot of Mount Meru and near the famous Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Arusha is known as the “safari capital”, serving as a hub for tourists visiting the country’s many national parks and reserves. Arusha is also a multicultural city, with a diverse population that includes Maasai, Barabaig, Iraqw and Chagga ethic groups as well as a significant expatriate community. The city is home to the East African community headquarters, which promotes regional integration and cooperation among the member states of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, and South Sudan. Arusha was a site of the Arusha Accord, a series of peace agreements signed in 1993 that helped bring an end to the civil war in neighbouring Burundi. The city also has vibrant arts and cultural works, with numerous galleries, museums and craft markets showcasing the work of local artists and artisans. More so, Arusha is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, offering opportunities for hiking, biking and wildlife viewing in the surrounding mountains and national parks. And the city is known for its delicious cuisine, featuring a mix of traditional Tanzanian dishes as well as international fare influenced by the city’s cosmopolitan population.
Amazing things to do in Arusha, Tanzania
Exploring Arusha Central Markets
Visiting Arusha central markets is one way you can explore the hidden treasures and learn about the culture of the people. Exploring Arusha Central Market offers visitors the opportunity to come up close to the real people of the city. Besides, the market is where everyone goes to do shopping for household essentials, offering visitors the chance to do shopping. During your visits in this fascinating market, you will expect to find shops dealing in local fabrics, spices, traditional medicines, wood carvings, handicrafts, art pieces, jewellery, vegetables, chicken, meat, fruits and all kinds of foodstuff. Arusha central market is also amazed to an extent that it has a large section where goats, sheep and cows are sold. Travellers planning to purchase one thing from the market are encouraged to be business-oriented.
Discovering Ngorongoro Conservation Area
The Ngorongoro Conservation Area is one of the best places for a safari in Africa and is located 180 kilometres from Arusha. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area also includes the Olduvai Gorge, which is where the first remains of the earliest humans were discovered. the site is encompassing of a combination of rheological and wildlife importance convinced UNESCO to accord it the status of a World Heritage Site. The entire Ngorongoro Conservation Area covers about 8,292 square kilometers but the main feature is the world’s largest inactive volcanic caldera. This caldera is 300 square kilometres wide, 20 kilometres long and 600 meters deep. The caldera has been named as one of the great wonders of the world. While on your safari at the Ngorongoro Crater, expect to spot black rhinoceros, Zebras, Waterbucks, wildebeest, lions, leopards, hippos, cheetahs, jackals and Eland among many other mammals. Apart from one of the world’s largest concentrations of wildlife, expect to have encounters with local tribesmen who call the area home.
Exploring the diversity of Arusha National Park
The Park is nestled on the foothills of Mount Meru, Africa’s most beautiful volcano and fifth-highest peak. Only 45 minutes’ drive from Arusha City centre, this park encompasses Mount Meru, a prominent volcanic cone with a spectacular crater at the top. Mt Meru and the Ngurdoto Crater are the most striking features of the park, formed after a volcanic eruption years ago. Travellers on a Tanzania wildlife safari will have the opportunity to see a wide range of mammals such as elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, hippos and leopards, primates such as olive baboons, black and white colobus monkeys, vervet monkeys and blue monkeys, with opportunity to spot over 400 bird species, such bird species includes ostrich, yellow-billed duck, hartlaub’s turaco, nightjars, guineafowls, African black duck, Egyptian goose, flamingos, African grey flycatchers, tawny eagle, cranes, southern pochard, great whit pelican, hottentot teal, grey-breasted spurfowl and Kori bustard among others.
A safari in Serengeti National Park
The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is possibly the most popular tourist attraction close to the city of Arusha. Serengeti National Park is located in the northwestern part of the country and continues to Kenya in what is referred to as the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The park is one of the oldest national parks in Tanzania and is what draws most tourists to the country. The park is composed of vast savanna grassland, which is dotted with acacia trees. Serengeti National Park is also home diverse wildlife such wildebeest, over 300,000 gazelles, 200,000 zebras, Topi, hippos, warthogs, hartebeest, waterbucks, giraffes, impala, eland, bushbucks, klipspringer, lesser kudus, roan antelopes, dik dik, cheetahs, hyenas, serval cats, jackals, wild dogs, otters, honey badgers, mongoose and the African golden wolf primates such as baboons, vervet monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys as well as bird species such as the Malachite Kingfisher, Nubian Woodpecker, Red-and-Yellow Barbet and the Grey Crowned Crane among others. Visitors on a Tanzania wildlife safari in Serengeti National Park have the opportunity to participate in several activities such as game drives, nature walks, bird watching, hot air balloon experience, and cultural encounters, among others.
Visiting Lake Manyara National Park
Lake Manyara National Park is one of the smallest national parks in Tanzania, located in the northern part of the country, which lies 10km west southwest of arusha, located between Lake Manyara and the Great Rift Valley. It is managed by the Tanzania National Parks Authority and covers an area of 325 square kilometre, a game reserve was established. In 1960. It is part of the much larger Lake Manyara Biosphere Reserve and was established in 1981 by UNESCO. While on your safari at Lake Manyara National Park, expect to spot flamingos, kingfishers, herons, animals such as buffaloes, Elephants, warthogs, waterbucks, giraffes, hippos, hyenas, Leopards, wildebeest, and zebras, among others. Lake Manyara National Park is also famous for hosting the rare tree-climbing lions.
Hiking Mount Meru
Hiking Mount Meru is one of the most famous activities to visit on a Tanzania safari in Arusha. The mountain is found in Arusha National Park and is the second-highest mountain in Tanzania and the fifth-highest in Africa, with a height of 4562 meters. This dormant volcano is the perfect practice ground for those who are planning on hiking the more challenging and nearby Kilimanjaro which is situated about 70km away from the mount Meru, offering visitors with marvellous opportunities to experience a complete adventure safari, Hiking to the top takes four days and for that reason alone, one needs to be fit and be ready to adapt to high altitude conditions. Visitors during the hike to Mount Meru have the astonishing opportunities to view the stunning Mount Kilimanjaro, the surrounding national parks, the lake, as well as the fascinating sightings of some of Africa’s famous mammals, among others.
Visiting the Arusha Declaration Museum
The Arusha Declaration Museum is a must-visit attraction for everyone interested in the history of African unity and the struggle for independence. The museum is located in Arusha, Tanzania. This museum is dedicated to the life and legacy of Julius Nyerere, the first president of Tanzania, and the Arusha Declaration, a historic document that played a significant role in the fight for African unity. The museums were established in 1978, shortly after Nyerere’s retirement as president. It was built to commemorate his life and work, as well as to promote the ideal of African unity and self- reliance. The museum features a range of exhibits that showcase Nyerere’s life, from his early days as a teacher and politician to his rise to leadership and his role in shaping Tanzania’s independence. Visiting the Arusha Declaration Museum is a unique opportunity to learn about the history of African unity and the struggle faced by African leaders. The museum also offers a guided tour, which provides visitors with a deeper understanding of Nyerere’s life and legacy.
