Arusha is neatly nestled amidst a cluster of Africa’s most famous safari destinations, a fact that has made it one of the continent’s quickest-rising tourist towns and a place very much in the throes of transformation. Surrounding the urban area, vast swathes of agricultural land and coffee plantations range over the hills, all punctuated dramatically by the ever-present looming peak of snow-tipped Mt Meru.
The city itself is hailed as one of the centres for festivity in Tanzania (a fact that’s noted in many Arusha tourist guides), and plays host to a number of festivals throughout the year, many of which champion the up-and-coming talents in Swahili hip-hop or more heritage-related pursuits like at the Nane Nane (Eight Eight) farming festival in early August.
But festivities and nightlife aside, one of the main reasons travellers hit Arusha is for its prime location in the heart of the East African wilds. From here, trekkers can head towards the Kilimanjaro walking trails, reach the dominating peak of Ol Doinyo Lengai, or even go on safari in the iconic Ngorongoro Crater in the north.