A brief Overview of Arusha
There is a truly wonderful atmosphere and energy to Arusha and we often recommend a stay of a couple of nights or so for those that are looking to see the day to day running of an African city and community, without being engulfed by the sheer size of cities such as Nairobi or Dar es Salaam. On top of this, it is a useful base for those looking to day trip out to the many working communities and projects that surround the city.
The city itself lies in the rain shadow of Mount Meru, the country’s fifth largest mountain, and at an elevation of around 1,500m. This altitude and temperate climate mean that, not only is the city an important hub for tourism, it has also become an important district for farming, which, as the world becomes more and more populated, could end up being one of Africa’s saving graces.
On the whole, many of the lodges that are on offer to tourists lie off the road that runs out of town, from Arusha to the nearby Moshi. This area was once a prolific producer of coffee and much of the accommodation is set in the leafy fields with views out to Mount Kilimanjaro on the horizon.
Do see our best camps & lodges in Arusha picks for 2026/27 on this page.
Best time to visit Arusha
The best time to visit Arusha really depends on what you are heading here for…for the wildebeest migration herds of the Serengeti, to climb Africa’s highest peak, Kilimanjaro, or for something else. As it is at a higher altitude the temperatures never really soar and the main dry season months between June and November give it a pleasant year round climate.
Do see our interactive best time to visit Arusha guide on this page as well as on our parent guide to tanzania page for more in-depth information on when to go.
Or call us on +44 1525 840 149. That’s what we’re here for.
Need more help?
As much as AI has changed the way we all approach our lives, there is still no substitute for picking up the phone and having a chat through the options with one of us on +44 1525 840 149
This allows us to completely tailor the property choices, costs and itinerary length to your needs…but we also understand that this is not always possible with the busy lives we all lead.
With this in mind, we have also put together a safari finder tool that should help you to narrow down the initial stages at which point we can jump in to “round off the edges” as it were.
Alternatively please feel free to send us an email with your timings, group size and rough likes and dislikes and we can get the ball rolling.
Get help with a Safari to Arusha
As much as AI has changed the way we all approach our lives, there is still no substitute for picking up the phone and having a chat through the options with one of us on +44 1525 840 149
This allows us to completely tailor the property choices, costs and itinerary length to your needs…but we also understand that this is not always possible with the busy lives we all lead.
With this in mind, we have also put together a safari finder tool that should help you to narrow down the initial stages at which point we can jump in to “round off the edges” as it were.
Alternatively please feel free to send us an email with your timings, group size and rough likes and dislikes and we can get the ball rolling.
Where is Arusha?
Arusha
