Destination
Arusha
The town every northern-circuit safari starts and ends in — and a place worth a day in its own right.
Where it sits
Arusha lies at the foot of Mount Meru in northern Tanzania, and is the gateway to the northern circuit. Every itinerary on this site begins and ends here, and Kilimanjaro International Airport serves it.
Why give it a day
Most visitors pass straight through. An arrival or departure day spent in Arusha — the markets, a coffee smallholding, the waterfall and forest on its edge — is a better day than one spent in a hotel waiting for a flight.
What is here
Craft markets, the Cultural Heritage Centre, the Tanzanite Experience centre, coffee farms, the Napuru waterfall on the lower slopes of Mount Meru, riding at Dolly Wildlife Estate, and Arusha National Park behind the town.
Departures that go here
Ways to see Arusha
3 days · 2 nights
3-Day Serengeti & Ngorongoro Safari
Serengeti · Ngorongoro
The shortest itinerary that reaches the Serengeti itself rather than spending itself on the road. Two nights out, one full day on the plains, and the …
4 days · 3 nights
4-Day Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngorongoro Safari
Tarangire · Serengeti · Ngorongoro
Elephants in Tarangire, a full day in the Serengeti, and the Ngorongoro Crater on the way home.…
5 days · 4 nights
5-Day Northern Circuit Safari
Tarangire · Serengeti · Ngorongoro
Tarangire, two nights in the Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater. The fifth day means you unpack once and settle in.…
Questions
What people ask
How long do people usually spend in Arusha?
Most spend a night either side of a safari. A full day is enough to see the town properly; two is enough to add the waterfall and a coffee farm.
Plan it