Located right on the cusp of some of Africa’s most famous national parks, like Serengeti National Park, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Lake Manyara National Park; and in the shadows of Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru; the thriving multicultural African city draws in thousands of tourists every year. Kilimanjaro International Airport is your introduction to the country and serves as a hub for charter flights to safari destinations in the region. Arusha Airport is a smaller domestic airport that allows for a more efficient transfer of travellers to their safari destinations.

The region has been home to the Arusha Chini Maasai people since around the 1830s. An agricultural community, they traded their grains, beer and honey with other nearby Maasai groups who in turn provided them with livestock, milk and skins. It was under German control from the 1890s, with the British taking over from 1916 during World War I. Not long after American missionaries and Greek settlers arrived. This changing of influence is evident in the city’s architecture – from colonial buildings to more modern buildings inspired by African aesthetics post-independence, and contemporary skyscrapers.