12 Things to Do in Arusha That Have Nothing to Do with a Safari Jeep
Most people land in Arusha, sleep one night, and roll out toward the Serengeti at dawn. They never see the town. And that's a shame, because this highland city at the foot of Mount Meru is worth a full day of its own — coffee farms on the slopes, a crater lake you can paddle, glass-blowers turning recycled bottles into art, and street food that'll outlast anything you eat on the circuit.
Give Arusha 24 hours before or after your safari — and if you're chasing an Indian Ocean beach to recover afterward, the is exactly the kind of slow follow-up the circuit calls for. Here's exactly how to spend them.
About 14 km east of town toward Usa River sits a small volcanic crater lake ringed by forest. You can walk the rim trail with a guide (look for kingfishers, vervet monkeys, and the occasional monitor lizard) or take a canoe out onto the water. Entry plus a canoe runs around $25. Go in the morning when the surface is glass-still and Meru reflects off it. It's the quietest hour you'll get all trip.
2. Cool Off at Chemka Hot Springs
Locals call it Kikuletwa. It's a spring-fed pool so clear and turquoise it looks edited — fig-tree roots arch over the water and somebody has rigged a rope swing. The catch is the drive: roughly 1.5 to 2 hours toward Moshi, much of it on dirt. Entry is about 10,000 TZS (~$4). Come on a weekday. On weekends half of Moshi shows up with speakers, and the magic drains out fast.
3. Do a Real Coffee Tour
Arusha sits in serious coffee country — the same East African highlands that climb north toward Ethiopia's coffee-soaked capital — and the bean-to-cup tours here aren't a gift-shop gimmick. Burka Coffee Estate runs walks through working plantation rows on the slopes of Meru, and the grounds at Arusha Coffee Lodge let you roast and cup your own. Expect to pay $25–40 for a couple of hours. You'll pick, pulp, roast, and drink — and you'll never look at a $6 flat white the same way again.
4. Wander the Cultural Heritage Centre
You can't miss it — the drum-shaped building on Dodoma Road, about 3 km southwest of the center. Entry is free, and inside is one of the largest art galleries in East Africa: floors of Makonde ebony carvings, Tinga Tinga paintings, and Tanzanite under glass. Prices are higher than the market, so treat it as a museum first and a shop second. The Tanzanite here is certified, which matters if you're actually buying.
5. Bargain Hard at the Maasai Market
The central curio market is where you'll find beaded jewelry, kangas, carved animals, and Maasai blankets in every shade of red. Sellers are warm and relentless in equal measure. The rule: open at about one-third of the first price quoted, smile through it, and be ready to walk. Walking away drops the price faster than any line you can deliver. Bring small TZS notes — nobody wants to break a big bill.
6. Take a Walking Safari in Arusha National Park
Here's the move almost everyone skips: the closest park to town, just 40 minutes out, lets you do a guided walking safari on foot with an armed ranger. You'll get close to giraffe, warthog, and buffalo, climb to the rim of Ngurdoto Crater, and watch flamingos wade the Momella Lakes. Black-and-white colobus monkeys hang in the canopy here like nowhere else nearby. Park fees run about $45 plus a guide. No lions, which is exactly why you're allowed to walk.
7. Watch Glass Get Blown at Shanga
On the grounds of Arusha Coffee Lodge, Shanga is a workshop that employs artisans who are deaf, blind, or have physical disabilities. They blow recycled glass into tumblers and beads, weave on hand looms, and make jewelry you'll actually want to wear. Wandering in is free. The lunch in the garden afterward is one of the better meals in town, and every shilling you spend stays with the makers.
8. Hike the Lower Slopes of Mount Meru
Meru is the 4,566-meter volcano looming over the whole city, and the full summit is a serious 3–4 day climb. But you don't have to commit to all of it. From Momella gate inside Arusha National Park, you can hike toward Miriakamba Hut as a long day walk, passing through giraffe country and forest. A ranger is required (it's wildlife territory). Treat it as a warm-up if Kilimanjaro is on your list — the altitude practice is free.
9. Catch Kilimanjaro from Moshi Road
Kili is shy. It hides behind cloud most of the day and only reveals itself for a window or two — usually just after sunrise or right before dusk. The viewpoints along Moshi Road, on the eastern edge of town, give you the clean angle when the sky cooperates. Set an alarm, grab a coffee, and be looking east by 6:30 AM. The snow-capped summit floating above the haze is the photo you came for.
10. Eat at Khan's BBQ — the "Chicken on the Bonnet"
By day it's an auto-parts shop on Mosque Street. After about 7 PM the front becomes a grill, and a spread of salads, naan, and barbecued meat takes over the sidewalk. Everyone calls it Chicken on the Bonnet. The grilled chicken with the mango pickle and chapati is the order, and a full plate lands around 12,000–15,000 TZS (~$5–6). Go hungry, go early, and don't expect a tablecloth.
11. Shop Like a Local at Tengeru Market
East of town toward Usa River, the Tengeru market goes full tilt on Tuesdays and Saturdays — pyramids of tomatoes and avocados, secondhand clothes, spices, live chickens, the works. It's a produce-and-everything-else market for the surrounding farms, not a tourist stop, which is the whole point. Go to watch the town feed itself, buy a kilo of avocados for pocket change, and skip the curios you can get cheaper here than in the center.
12. Slow Down at the Clock Tower
The Clock Tower roundabout marks the middle of town and, by local lore, the halfway point between Cape Town and Cairo. Use it as your anchor for an afternoon stroll. Duck into Africafé or the garden at the Blue Heron for a proper coffee and a slice of cake, watch the dala-dala minibuses fight for the curb, and let the altitude breeze do its thing. Arusha sits at about 1,400 meters, so afternoons stay cool even when the plains below are baking.
Pro Tip: Bundle the Day with One Driver
The smart move is to hire a trusted driver-guide for a full day rather than haggling a new taxi at every stop. Expect $50–70 for the day, and you can chain Lake Duluti, a coffee estate, and the Cultural Heritage Centre into one loop without backtracking. Ask your hotel for someone they've used before — Arusha runs on referrals, and a known driver will steer you past the gem dealers and "free" cultural shows that exist only to part you from your money.
One more thing: carry cash. ATMs in the center (CRDB and NMB near the Clock Tower) dispense TZS, but most markets, the hot springs, and the street grills take nothing else. Pull out what you need before you leave the center, keep small notes for tips and bargaining, and you'll move through Arusha like you've done it before.
