Things to do in Arusha

Arusha is a city in East Africa’s Tanzania, located at the base of volcanic Mt. Meru. It’s a mind blowing gateway to safari destinations and to Africa’s highest peak, 5,895m Mt. Kilimanjaro, lying some 100 kilometers northeast. To the west lies Serengeti National Park, home to wildlife including lions, rhinoceros, giraffes and leopards. Annual migrations feature huge herds of wildebeests crossing its plains.

Experience the best things to do in Arusha Tanzania. Gateway to Northern Tanzania Safari Circuit. An Arusha safari is at the heart of Tanzania’s biggest wildlife experience: take in the Serengeti migration, Ngorongoro Crater & Tarangire too. — From the airport, it takes about 1 hour to get to Arusha. About 3.5 to 4 hours drive to Ngorongoro crater one of Top 10 Attractions to visit in Tanzania. Tanzania vacation packages all inclusive.

If you’re on the lookout for things to do in plan on being busy, this bustling city is a people-pleaser. Whatever you’re into, you’ll be inspired by the variety of attractions to sink your teeth into here. Keep reading to discover a few of our favorites.

Explore the best sights in Arusha with some popular tours & day trips, or check out our list of 2562 fun activities in Arusha fun activities in Arusha. We have no booking fees as well as free cancellation, so you can relax and channel your energy into planning your dream vacation.

1. Arusha National Park Day Trip

One of the t0p 10 best places to visit in Arusha for your outdoor activities. At just over 200 square miles, Arusha National Park has great wildlife densities, and it is home to the world’s largest population of giraffe. Cape buffalo, elephants, hippos, zebra are found here in abundance, and the occasional lion and leopard can also be sighted on a game drive. Your Unique and Affordable Arusha National Park Day Trip start either at Arusha city or Moshi/ from Arusha or Kilimanjaro airport. The park offers outstanding game viewing and walking safari as well as canoeng trip within the park. Spot common animals during your Short Tanzania Safari Trips.

Buffalo

Giraffe

Zebra

More than 400 bird species including flamingos.

Monkeys: black-and-white colobus monkey, vervet monkey, blue Monkey, baboons

Hippo

Waterbuck

Bushbuck

Warthog

New 2022/2023 Entry Fees for Arusha National Park.

National ParkPark Entry FeeArusha Na tional ParkAdult $ 59.00 Child $17.70

2. Arusha City Tour

Your tour of Arusha city will involve the visit to different important places for pleasure. One of the top things to do in Arusha is to take your time to discover the beauty of Arusha city from Clock tower. The half way between Cairo Egypt to Johannesburg South Africa. Discover the hidden attractions, fun things to do, soak up history on a tour, choose from world-class cultural events, amazing fine dining, museums, and so much.

Walk to Maasai Market, Central and Kilombero Market, Arusha Declaration monument and museum. Discover central market to learn different African spices, vegetable and fruits. Visit City bus terminal, Cultural Heritage Centre for shopping and visit Snake park and Maasai boma at the same place.

3. Materuni Waterfalls & Coffee Tour from Moshi

Materuni Waterfall is the highest and most impressive waterfall at the foothill of Mt. Kilimanjaro with a height of about 90m. On the Materuni Waterfalls & Coffee Tour you’ll visit a coffee farm and learn about how coffee is grown, harvested and processed. You’ll try your hand at roasting and preparing a fresh cup of coffee the Chagga way. After the coffee tour and coffee tasting you’ll take a beautiful 30 minutes long enjoyable hike through the hills and valleys en route to the Materuni Waterfalls. Finally, you can refresh at the waterfall’s cold water, so don’t forget to bring your swim wear. You will really get to grips of the Chagga life the group which occupy the slopes of Kilimanjaro Swim in the waters of Materuni Mt. Kilimanjaro highest falls!

4. Kikuletwa (Chemka) Hot Springs Day Tour

The hot springs of Kikuletwa, also known as Chemka Hot Springs. It’s close to the village of Rundugai and are one of the most beautiful places in Tanzania to relax. The small pond is surrounded by palm and fig trees with winding roots. In the morning, Blue Monkeys can often be observed in the trees, whilst the crystal clear, turquoise water invites you to a refreshing bath. Although they are called hot springs, the water in Kikuletwa is not truly ‘hot’ but refreshing, as the water source is fed by Kilimanjaro itself.

Pick up at hotel in Arusha and make the two-hour drive to Maji Chemka. This scenic drive takes you off the tourist trail and offers a glimpse into local life: bustling markets, local farms, and the like.

You’ll then spend a few hours soaking in the pleasantly warm waters, swinging on the rope swing, relaxing in the sun-dappled shade of the trees. After your fun in the sun, you’ll return to your hotel for dinner and overnight. Then next day continue on to your next destination.

5. Mount Kilimanjaro Day Hike

The most bsest time for a Kilimanjaro day hike are middle June — late September and late December — early Marc when the sky is clear. Can you hike Kilimanjaro in a day? Yes, you can clim Kili in a Day. Kilimanjaro is the highest mountain in Africa at 5,985m. It can take around a week to climb to the summit. But if you head to the less time to stay in Tanzania you can do a one-day excursion, which incorporates some hiking on the high moorland though Marangu Route. Book now your day excussion here to Kilimanjaro. Pick up early in the morning drive to Marangu gate from Arusha. Hike 5–7 hrs back to Arusha hotel for dinner and overnight. Explore detailed itinerary in the link above.

6. One Day Safari  Tanzania— Tarangire National Park

This park is often referred to as the ‘home of elephants. You have a great chance to spot elephants in large group gathering around the Tarangire river. Other animals to be spotted include leopards, lions, giraffes, and even tree climbing pathos.

New 2021/2022 Entry Fees for Tarangire National Park.

National ParkPark Entry Fee Tarangire National Park

Adult 59.00 Child 17.70

Detailed Itinerary.

Pick up at 6:00am in the morning from your hotel in Arusha/ Moshi drive you to Tarangire National 2:30 hrs to get in the park for wildlife trip.

The park runs along the line of the Tarangire River and is mainly made up of low-lying hills on the Great Rift Valley floor. Its natural vegetation mainly consists of Acacia woodland and giant African baobab trees, with huge swamp areas in the south. Both the river and the swamp act like a magnet for wild animals during Tanzania dry season. Tarangire national park is reputed to contain some of the largest elephant’s herds in Africa. We will enjoy a picnic lunch inside the park and do two exciting morning and afternoon game drives, along the Tarangire River. Late afternoon we depart to Arusha where we will end our safari adventure.

7. Visiting Meserani snake park:

The snake park is located 25km west of Arusha on the route to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater. Snake park provides various activities. Take a guided tour and learn about some of the most dangerous snakes in the world. From the Black and Green Mamba, Egyptian Cobra, Puff Adders and many more. Capture your special moment and hold a real live snake. Check out the 3m plus crocodiles at feeding time and touch a baby crocodile.

You can also enjoy your personal Maasai guide who will take you on a spectacular tour of the Maasai Cultural Museum. Visit the Free Education Centre, where the local Maasai have the opportunity to learn how to read and write and further their education in many different ways. Also you can have opportunity to get up to camel area and take a stunning photos. Interesting with this trip? Contact us.

8. Mulala Cultural tours

Amazing activity to do through visit Mulala and Nkoranga villages. Located at the slopes of Mount Meru the second highest mountain in Tanzania. The cultural villages are found near Arusha national park and it takes about 45 minutes to one hour from Arusha town. You will be accompanied with a local guide who is well known routes in the villages. This will help you interact with the Meru people. Learn about their way of living, visit their homesteads, farmlands where they grow bananas, coffee, beans, cassava and rare cattle.

Also walk through the coffee plantation where you will learn about different steps of coffee growing. Learn the way coffee beans are peaked and roasted, grounded and packed. Visit the bee keeping projects, taste the local honey, taste local dishes. Also you will visit the cheese making factory. Enjoy traditional songs from agape women, buy craft items, visit the local schools, health centers among others. Book now.

9. Lake Manyara Day Trip

Is Lake Manyara worth visiting? It is usually a one-day stop on a larger safari tour, or as a precursor to a multi-day safari at the nearby Ngorongoro. And as such, it is a perfect place to be. So lush and green, with easy sightings of several animals you’ll struggle to find at the larger parks. Visit Manyara for its unique groundwater forest.

Lake Manyara National Park offers a wilderness experience in diverse habitats, from its Rift Valley soda lake to dense woodlands and steep mountainsides.

What animals are in Lake Manyara National Park? Manyara National Park is a sanctuary for hippo, giraffe, impala and zebra, and its lake a magnet for birdlife, including sizeable flocks of pink flamingos. Mahogany and sausage trees are alive with blue and vervet monkeys; elephants feed on fallen fruit, and bushbuck, baboons and leopard make their homes in the forest.

10. Lake Eyasi Day Trip Tours

This tour gives you the chance to interact with the hadza community for hunting and cultural exchange. These are hunters and gatherers for honey and insect in the bush. Experience the local culture with best guide, visit hunters and taste the sense of adventures.

Lake Eyasi is a seasonal shallow endorheic salt lake on the floor of the Great Rift Valley at the base of the Serengeti Plateau, just south of the Serengeti National Park and immediately  extraordinary Journey southwest of the Ngorongoro Crater in the Crater Highlands of Tanzania.

The lake is elongated, orientated southwest to northeast, and lies in the Eyasi-Wembere branch of the Great Rift Valley. During the dry season the lake may dry up almost entirely, especially in drier years, so that Datoga herders and Hadza foragers will cross the lake on foot, but in El Niño years it may flood its banks and attract hippopotamus from the Serengeti. It is a seasonal stop for migrating flamingos.