Arusha
Arusha
The busy safari hub and commercial town of Arusha stands in the foothills of Mount Meru at an altitude of 1,500 metres.
Although not usually a destination in itself, Arusha is the most popular and convenient springboard from which to explore Tanzania's iconic northern safari parks.
In Arusha practically everything centers on the safari industry. Over the last 50 years, it has grown from Tanzania's ninth largest town to its second city, with a population of more than 400,000.
Apart from shopping for curios, there are not many things in Arusha to occupy a visitor's time. That said, less than an hour from town is the most accessible and arguably most underrated of northern Tanzania's national parks – Arusha National Park.
Arusha National Park is often overlooked by travellers rushing to the more famous sights of the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti. However, with a little time, Arusha National Park offers some lovely walking in the foothills of Mount Meru and canoeing on the Momela Lakes, plus gentle game drives. If you have the time it is well worth a day or two.
Trips visiting Arusha
Just ideas, we'll always tailor-make a trip for you
Chimpanzee Fly-in Safari
8 days • 3 locations
KILIMANJARO AIRPORT TO KILIMANJARO AIRPORT
Combining two of the remotest parks in Tanzania, this safari can deliver extraordinary wildlife viewing in Katavi, and East Africa's best chimp treks, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika.
US$13,190 - US$16,530 per person
Secretary Bird Fly-in Safari
8 days • 4 locations
KILIMANJARO AIRPORT TO KILIMANJARO AIRPORT
Chosen for comfort and relaxation as much as for its range of activities, this safari makes for a leisurely trip featuring stunning accommodation and swift access to many of northern Tanzania’s best wildlife regions.
US$12,110 - US$18,080 per person
Most recent reviews of our trips to Arusha
Click below to browse all 194 reviews from Arusha. All from our travellers; all are in full & unedited.
Arrived 27 Oct 2024, 15 nights
"My Oct 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 24 Sep 2024, 14 nights
"My Sep 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 18 Sep 2024, 10 nights
"My Sep 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 22 Aug 2024, 10 nights
"My Aug 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Good
Arrived 31 Aug 2024, 5 nights
"My Aug 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 25 Jul 2024, 13 nights
"My Jul 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 13 Aug 2024, 9 nights
"My Aug 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 26 Jun 2024, 12 nights
"Our Jun 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Arrived 27 Feb 2024, 12 nights
" 2024 - a return visit to Ngorongoro and Serengeti"
Overall rating: Average
Arrived 11 Feb 2024, 10 nights
"My Feb 2024 trip"
Overall rating: Excellent
Where to stay in Arusha
Our suggestions for places to stay in Arusha
Rivertrees Country Inn
Set within lush grounds, the peaceful and relaxing Rivertrees lies between Arusha and Kilimanjaro Airport: ideal at the beginning or end of a safari.
Arusha Coffee Lodge
Arusha Coffee Lodge is a neat, comfortable lodge, right on the highway, close to Arusha Airport. It is a convenient stop for a night.
Onsea House
Onsea House is a small, family-run guesthouse on the outskirts of Arusha. The rooms are quite simple, but service and food here are good.
Katambuga House
Katambuga House is a smart hotel on the western side of Arusha, an hour’s drive from Kilimanjaro Airport and 10 minutes from Arusha Airport.
Airport Planet Lodge
Airport Planet Lodge is a new hotel located close to Kilimanjaro Airport, making it ideal for a short stay before or after your international flight.
Machweo
Machweo is a nine-room lodge on the outskirts of Arusha. The rooms are large and stylish, and the service and food here are very good.
Kia Lodge
Kia Lodge is a simple, country-club-style lodge situated close to the buildings and runway of Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Hatari Lodge
Hatari Lodge is designed around a bright, fun 1960s retro theme and is a relatively high-quality base to explore Arusha National Park.
Mount Meru Game Lodge
Mount Meru Game Lodge, near Arusha, is a good spot to stay en route to northern Tanzania's most famous safari areas.
Hamerkop House
Located halfway between Kilimanjaro Airport and Arusha, Hamerkop House is a small, peaceful stop either at the beginning or end of a safari.
Legendary Lodge
Legendary Lodge is boutique luxury lodge, perfect for an indulgent overnight stay at the start or end of your safari.
Arusha Serena Hotel
The Serena Arusha Hotel is a comfortable hotel close to Lake Duluti. It makes a good stopover before or after a safari in northern Tanzania.
Twiga Lodge
Twiga is a Tudor-style lodge with welcoming owners, country-style gardens and a viewing platform looking onto Arusha National Park.
Siringit
Siringit Kilimanjaro Golf Safari Retreat is a six-bedroom villa offering a luxury stay in complete privacy on a championship golf course.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings in Arusha
This is their success for sightings in Arusha. Click on a species for more detail. How we work this out.
100% success
100% success
100% success
100% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
When to go to Arusha
Our month by month guide: What it's like to visit Arusha in Tanzania
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Tanzania in January
January usually marks the start of the short dry season, although the exact timings of this are a little unpredictable. You can expect clear blue skies and sunshine, if the short rains have stopped, and the temperatures will be building. The short dry season is a little less pronounced in Southern Tanzania, and so it can still be wet in these areas. It is an interesting time for avians as resident birds go into breeding plumage and migrant species can be present.
Once the New Year busy period has quietened down, January can offer great value and quieter parks, although the weather can be variable, and in the Selous and Ruaha the wildlife is more dispersed.
- Variable weather: clear & dry or cloudy with some rain.
- Occasional thunderstorms may occur.
- A good time of year for birding as and many migrant species are around
- The wildebeest migration is gathering in the southern Serengeti.
- Busy in early January, quietening down through the month.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in January
Tanzania in February
February is during the short dry season and is one of the hottest months in Tanzania, with temperatures reaching around 33°Celsius. This can be a good time to visit, as some areas of the Northern Circuit are comparatively quieter than during the European summer months, and lodge rates are also a little lower.
The wildebeest will typically be on the southern plains of the Serengeti for their calving season, which tends to occur in a 2-3 week window in early-mid February – although this does vary year on year. This is also a particularly rewarding time for birdlife, as northern hemisphere migrants join the resident species.
- Hot and dry weather.
- Wildebeest migration calving on Serengeti’s southern plains.
- Ngorongoro Crater and southern Serengeti busy for the migration.
- Selous and Ruaha are typically quiet at this time.
- The parks are likely to be lush and green, leading to pretty landscape
Our view
A very good time to visit
Weather in February
Tanzania in March
The heavier ‘long rains’ start in earnest in March although exactly when varies year on year. With no need to stay close to permanent water sources, migratory wildlife disperses, and so game viewing starts to become more challenging. This is most prominently seen in Tarangire National Park. The wildebeest migration may still be calving, or have moved on into the central regions of the Serengeti.
Many of the camps in the southern parks close mid March and mobile tented camps in the Serengeti will wind down towards the end of the month in order to move location or carry out refurbishments, ready for the new tourist season.
- Hot with building humidity, before the rains begin at some point.
- Wildlife viewing is variable depending on the start of the rains.
- Parks are quiet and rates are low.
- Not great for southern or western Tanzania.
- March can be a good time for birding, with many migrant species.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in March
Tanzania in April
April is in the middle of the long rainy season and is the wettest month, with on average 250mm of rain. Temperatures are fairly high and humid in comparison to the rest of the year. Expect the bush to be lush and flowering, and alive with insects, birds and smaller animals. It is however also dense, allowing wildlife to hide, which in turn makes game viewing harder. This is a very quiet time in terms of visitor numbers.
Many of the tented camps are closed in April, however the larger lodges remain open. The rates are significantly cheaper, and so if you are willing to work harder to spot the bigger game, some accommodation bargains can be had.
- Heavy rain expected, with impressive thunderstorms and lightning.
- Many camps closed and roads impassable due to ground conditions.
- Rates are at their lowest all year round, with very few other tourists
- Places that are open are green and vibrant, wildlife more dispersed.
Our view
This is not a great time to visit
Weather in April
Tanzania in May
As Tanzania is close to the equator there is no dramatic difference in climate throughout the year, but temperatures do start to drop a little in May. The rains are likely to still be present, although potentially clearing towards the end of the month. Visitor numbers and lodge rates are still low. The wildebeest migration is making its way through the western regions of the Serengeti, crossing the Grumeti River.
Virtually all camps in southern Tanzania remain closed, and many of the roads and tracks in the Selous become impassable.
- Heavy rains and storms are likely, this can create some dramatic skies
- Blissfully quiet in northern Tanzania, and a good time to avoid crowds
- The parks are likely to look lush and green, with long grass.
- Wildlife is likely to be more dispersed, with fewer sightings.
- The low prices make safaris much more affordable at this time.
Our view
This is not a great time to visit
Weather in May
Tanzania in June
The rains come to an end at some point during the month and migratory wildlife begins to be drawn back to perennial water sources as the land starts to dry up. It’s likely that the parks will still be quite green and the grass high though, so walking and fly-camping may be unlikely. This marks the start of the season with camps reopening, but prices are still more affordable than the subsequent months.
The migration may still be in the Western Corridor, or on the move northwards towards the Mara River. Western Tanzania presents more challenging conditions for chimpanzee trekking in Mahale National Park, as the chimps are higher in the mountains.
- Variable weather: clear & dry or cloudy with some rain.
- A transitory time for the migration – moving from west to north.
- The parks may still be quite green, and grasses high.
- Wildlife may be dispersed still.
- Relatively low visitor numbers and good value, shoulder season prices.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in June
Tanzania in July
July is considered to be the start of the peak season, with no rainfall expected and pleasant daytime temperatures. As the parks dry, the wildlife congregates in fewer areas, grass is eaten and trampled by the migration, and game viewing gets better and better. The wildebeest are typically arriving in the northern Serengeti, ready to begin their period of crossings of the Mara River.
In the Selous and Ruaha wildlife sightings can be fantastic, with animals gathering around the lakes and rivers. Great conditions and school holidays mean the parks are at their busiest, with Ngorongoro and the Serengeti particularly crowded.
- Dry and warm daytimes, chilly and windy in the mornings and evenings.
- Great wildlife viewing, as water sources diminish.
- The most popular time of year with very high visitor numbers.
- Prices are at their highest due to the great conditions on the ground.
- To avoid the crowds consider Tanzania’s southern parks.
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in July
Tanzania in August
August is the middle of the long dry season, with clear skies and sunny weather. You can expect some cooler weather at night and first thing in the morning. Remember to pack layered clothing, so you can wrap up warm on your early morning game drives, but remain comfortable as it heats up throughout the day.
August is a very popular time to visit, so accommodation prices are at their highest and advanced booking is necessary. It can get noticeably busier in some of the northern parks – in particular the Ngorongoro Crater and northern Serengeti, as visitors flock to the area in hope of witnessing an exciting migration river crossing.
- Dry and warm daytimes, chilly in the early mornings and evenings.
- General wildlife viewing should be excellent.
- An exciting time of year for the wildebeest migration.
- Certain areas will be very busy and camps fill up fast.
- Great wildlife sightings in the Selous and Ruaha, and fewer people.
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in August
Tanzania in September
September can be an excellent time of year to visit Tanzania. As the parks continue to dry up the wildlife becomes increasingly reliant on the remaining water sources, leading to high densities of animals. Whilst early September can be busy, with fewer families traveling at this time the parks typically become quieter as the month goes on.
You are still likely to see the wildebeest migration in the northern Serengeti, with river crossings occurring on a regular basis. Tanzania’s southern parks are also fantastic at this time of year, generally receiving far fewer visitors than the north, and wildlife sightings can be great. Prices remain high and the weather generally remains good.
- Wildlife viewing in September can be fantastic.
- Whilst still fairly busy, often the parks are typically a little quiet
- The parks will start to become very dry, with little new vegetation
- Cooler mornings and evenings, warming up during the day.
- Prices remain high.
Our view
Fantastic: the very best time to visit
Weather in September
Tanzania in October
At the tail end of the dry season, the wildlife should be the easiest to spot, although photographers should be aware that it can be a bit dusty at this time of year, as there has been no rain for several months. Great general wildlife viewing throughout as animals are attracted to remaining sources of water. Elephant numbers are particularly high at this time in Tarangire, and Mahale and Katavi are especially rewarding with frequent wildlife sightings close to camp.
There is a chance of rainfall towards the end of the month, if the short rains commence. While prices remain high, visitors numbers are significantly lower than in July-August.
- Mostly dry and temperatures comfortably warm, with the chance of storm
- Great game viewing although the landscape can be a bit barren.
- Much lower visitor numbers than the earlier months.
Our view
A very good time to visit
Weather in October
Tanzania in November
In November you can expect the start of the short rains, although the start date varies every year. The rains are highly localised, and are much lighter and more unpredictable than the long rains that occur earlier in the year. These should not really interfere with your safari – as the game viewing at this time is still good - but you should pack a waterproof jacket and be prepared for some short rain showers!
The majority of tented camps remain open, but some of the mobile camps in Northern Tanzania will close for the latter half on the month. Given the seasonality, camps are charging shoulder season rates so there are often some bargains to be had. Early November can offer great value for money and the weather conditions are likely to be comparable to late October.
- Variable weather: clear & dry or cloudy with some rain.
- Parks are comparatively quiet and prices at the lower end.
- Some camps will close towards the end of the month for maintenance.
- Good wildlife sightings, but animals will disperse when rain starts
- The wildebeest migration is on the move and the location unpredictable
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in November
Tanzania in December
December is also during the short rainy period, but this does not stop Tanzania being a popular destination to spend the festive period. Be aware that many of the lodges book up early, and charge peak rates over this time. Advanced booking is essential over this period, especially if travelling in larger family groups.
Travelling in December outside of the festive period allows travellers to make use of excellent shoulder season rates. Temperatures are pleasant with the averages of 27Celsius, although there is the chance of intermittent thunderstorms.
- Variable weather:clear & dry or cloudy with some rain and thunderstorm
- Good general game viewing in parks with low seasonality - Serengeti.
- Very quiet early in the month, becoming exceptionally busy.
- Prices reflect this – great value rising to the highest they are.
- The wildlife in southern Tanzania is more dispersed.
Our view
A good time to visit, with pros & cons
Weather in December
Arusha: In detail
A guide to Arusha National Park
There are a range of activities to do in Arusha National Park.
This includes walking safaris which are always accompanied by a ranger and last for a maximum of four hours, during which you would stop for a break at one of the park's lovely picnic sites. You can also explore the far reaches of the park by vehicle, taking in some of the lovely views and keeping an eye out for wildlife. Another great activity here and one not found in other safari parks in Tanzania, is a canoeing safari which allows you to explore the Momela (or Momella) Lakes.
Within the park there are three broad areas to be found: Ngurdoto Crater (surrounded by forest), the Momela Lakes (alkaline) and Mount Meru (lush forest and bare rock). These are all at varying altitudes and as a result have very different vegetation – it is all this that helps to make this such a diverse park to visit.
Wildlife of Arusha
Birds of Arusha
Plants and vegetation of Arusha
On clear days you get great views of Mount Meru, which is Africa's fifth highest mountain and within the park's boundary. You can also see across to Kilimanjaro - which is 50km away.
Arusha's Airports
Map of Arusha
Choices for where to stay in Arusha
Arusha: Holidays
For most travellers, Arusha is a springboard for their Tanzania safari and beach holidays. Depending on when your international flight arrives, you could spend one day here at your leisure. A visit to the Arusha Heritage Centre or exploring a local market might be a nice way to start your Tanzania holidays in Arusha.
Chimpanzee Fly-in Safari
8 days • 3 locations
KILIMANJARO AIRPORT TO KILIMANJARO AIRPORT
Combining two of the remotest parks in Tanzania, this safari can deliver extraordinary wildlife viewing in Katavi, and East Africa's best chimp treks, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika.
US$13,190 - US$16,530 per person
Secretary Bird Fly-in Safari
8 days • 4 locations
KILIMANJARO AIRPORT TO KILIMANJARO AIRPORT
Chosen for comfort and relaxation as much as for its range of activities, this safari makes for a leisurely trip featuring stunning accommodation and swift access to many of northern Tanzania’s best wildlife regions.
US$12,110 - US$18,080 per person
Our 14 best hotels & places to stay in Arusha
This section concentrates on accommodation located within the city limits. Listed below are some of our favorites. Ask us for more details of what's where, and what's likely to suit you best!
Rivertrees Country Inn
Set within lush grounds, the peaceful and relaxing Rivertrees lies between Arusha and Kilimanjaro Airport: ideal at the beginning or end of a safari.
Arusha Coffee Lodge
Arusha Coffee Lodge is a neat, comfortable lodge, right on the highway, close to Arusha Airport. It is a convenient stop for a night.
Onsea House
Onsea House is a small, family-run guesthouse on the outskirts of Arusha. The rooms are quite simple, but service and food here are good.
Katambuga House
Katambuga House is a smart hotel on the western side of Arusha, an hour’s drive from Kilimanjaro Airport and 10 minutes from Arusha Airport.
Airport Planet Lodge
Airport Planet Lodge is a new hotel located close to Kilimanjaro Airport, making it ideal for a short stay before or after your international flight.
Machweo
Machweo is a nine-room lodge on the outskirts of Arusha. The rooms are large and stylish, and the service and food here are very good.
Kia Lodge
Kia Lodge is a simple, country-club-style lodge situated close to the buildings and runway of Kilimanjaro International Airport.
Hatari Lodge
Hatari Lodge is designed around a bright, fun 1960s retro theme and is a relatively high-quality base to explore Arusha National Park.
Mount Meru Game Lodge
Mount Meru Game Lodge, near Arusha, is a good spot to stay en route to northern Tanzania's most famous safari areas.
Hamerkop House
Located halfway between Kilimanjaro Airport and Arusha, Hamerkop House is a small, peaceful stop either at the beginning or end of a safari.
Legendary Lodge
Legendary Lodge is boutique luxury lodge, perfect for an indulgent overnight stay at the start or end of your safari.
Arusha Serena Hotel
The Serena Arusha Hotel is a comfortable hotel close to Lake Duluti. It makes a good stopover before or after a safari in northern Tanzania.
Excursions in Arusha
Optional, extra day-trips and excursions that are possible while you’re staying in Arusha. Talk to us: these excursions are usually best arranged before you go.
Day Hike on Mount Kilimanjaro
Full day
Experience Africa’s highest mountain – in just a day. In the company of a private guide, hike through the forests of Mount Kilimanjaro’s western side to an altitude of 3,400m. From here, explore the Shira Plateau and its surroundings, perhaps spotting wildlife along the way.
More about Kilimanjaro Day HikeSafari in Arusha National Park
Half day or full day
Arusha National Park offers some lovely walking in the foothills of Mount Meru and canoeing on the Momela Lakes, plus gentle game drives.
More about Safari in Arusha NP