Why add an extra night in Arusha to your itinerary?

We highly recommend the Arusha Layover option for all guests without any significant time constraints.There are dozens of accommodations in Arusha with a wide range of prices including 5-star coffee plantation resorts, private multi-bedroom villas, large international resorts, and smaller boutique hotels. Some of our favorites include Arusha Coffee Lodge, Lake Duluti Lodge, Kili Seasons Hotel and both the standard rooms and private multi-bedroom villas at Kili Villas.

The following is a list of reasons why an extra night in Arusha may be a worthwhile addition to your itinerary:

• Though missed or significantly delayed connections are unusual, they do occur from time to time. An extra day in Arusha functions as a form of insurance that would protect your safari itinerary from being compromised as most international flight problems result in a delay of not more than 24 hours. With two nights in Arusha, the worst case scenario from a missed connection would mean the loss of just one night in Arusha while the main safari itinerary would remain unaffected.
• The Delta / KLM flight that most people utilize for their international airfare routing arrives late in the evening while the flight to the Serengeti departs the next day at 8.00am in the morning. By adding an extra day in Arusha, one can rest and recuperate from the long international flight before beginning the safari as well as adjust to the time difference. Being well rested and in a healthier position will ultimately lead to a more enjoyable safari experience.
• Adding an extra day in Arusha allows for opportunities to explore the charming town of Arusha for cultural and shopping excursions. The more adventurous may wish to spend the 'Arusha Layover' in the Mount Kilimanjaro region on a full day excursion to hike Materuni Waterfall or in Arusha National Park walking up the slopes of Mount Meru.
• Some international flights arrive at Kilimanjaro early in the morning. As such, you may wish to add a night at the hotel for the night before to facilitate an early check-in. Otherwise, you may have to wait until the late morning while your room is getting ready depending upon availability. For example, if your flight arrives at Kilimanjaro on August 2nd at 3.00am, you may wish to add a night to the hotel in Arusha on August 1st so that you may check-in as soon as you arrive during the early morning of August 2nd.

Arusha Activities

There are endless activities and sightseeing tours available in the Arusha-Kilimanjaro region. We've listed a few of our favorite options, though we can customize and combine activities depending upon each guest's specific interests. Please contact your ADS safari consultant for activity pricing, tipping guidelines, and further recommendations.

OPTION #1: Sightseeing & Shopping Tour

$300 per group

• Includes 1⁄2 day use of vehicle and guide
• Includes general sightseeing and shopping in Arusha

This option includes half day use of a vehicle and guide to tour the charming town of Arusha. The tour includes general sightseeing and shopping opportunities and is often combined with a visit to a colorful Maasai market or a tour of a local coffee plantation. Some popular souvenir items in Tanzania include wooden animal carvings, African masks and picture frames, hand woven baskets, dining sets, local paintings, jewelry, safari books, and Maasai arts and crafts (beadwork, shields, spears, jewelry, etc.). Tsavorite and Tanzanite are two popular gemstones in East Africa.

Tanzanite, a bluish gemstone, is mined only in Tanzania (next to Kilimanjaro Airport) and many people think that it makes a special souvenir. One shop that we recommend is called 'Cultural Heritage'. If you like shopping, you could spend several hours at the Cultural Heritage center in Arusha - there seems to be an infinite supply of woodcarvings, tribal masks, artifacts, paintings, and Tanzanite jewelry to look through (they also sell loose stones). Cultural Heritage has a particularly good restaurant on the premises, and many of our guests have us book lunch for them there on their layover day. If you are really interested in Tanzanite, we might suggest visiting a place downtown Arusha called Tanzanite Experience. You can stop by and view Tanzanite in their show room on an impromptu basis, but if you want a tour (they have a small museum) and cutting demonstration we'll need to make arrangements for you ahead of time.

OPTION #2: Poli Village Tour

$300 per group

• Includes 1⁄2 day use of vehicle and guide
• Includes cultural tour of Poli Village

Visit a traditional village in Arusha and learn about the culture and life of most Tanzanians. Poli is a village within the Usa River district and close to the offices of Africa Dream Safaris. Clients who wish to visit a non-touristy village will enjoy this half day excursion to the nearby village of Poli. Clients will meet with the Chairman (Mayor) of the village or a representative from his village council and learn how a village of this size is managed, along with the day-to-day issues. Site visits will include the primary school, hospital, courthouse, and the village offices. This tour is usually a highlight for clients seeking cultural interactions and insight into the life of most Tanzanians.

OPTION #3: Mount Kilimanjaro Regional Day Trip

$600 per group

• Includes full day use of vehicle and guide
• Includes visit to Materuni Waterfalls

This adventurous option includes a full day excursion to Materuni Village near Kilimanjaro National Park (2-hour drive each way from Arusha) and a 40-minute hike to the beautiful Materuni Waterfalls. Materuni Village is located 10 miles north of Moshi and is the last village before Kilimanjaro National Park. Your driver and guide will pick you up at your lodge in the morning with a picnic lunch to enjoy while on the day's adventure. Before you reach the Materuni Village you will drive slowly across the banana farms and local rural villages learning about the culture and history of the area. Then your guide will escort you on an approximately 40 minute hike up to the beautiful Materuni Waterfalls. This magical green environmental trail with tropical trees will lead you to an impressive 250 foot high waterfall. Here you can take a moment to relax - and swim, if you like - so feel free to bring your swimsuit, just in case!

OPTION #4: Arusha National Park Game Drive (Optional Nature Walk)

$600 per group

• Includes full day use of vehicle and guide
• Includes game drives in Arusha National Park
• Excludes park fees of $59 per person

Explore Arusha National Park on a full day game drive. Though the park does not offer the same caliber of big game viewing as the other more famous parks of Tanzania, it does make a pleasant beginning and introduction to a Tanzania Safari. Lying between the peaks of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Meru, Arusha National Park is an outstandingly beautiful area. The park has a wide range of habitats, from the string of crater lakes where many water birds can be watched, through the highland montane forest and up to the imposing summit of Mt. Meru. There are three distinct areas found in this little park covering just 50 square miles: Ngurdoto Crater, Momela Lakes and Mt. Meru.

Associated with different vegetation zones are different types of animals: migrating water birds settle on the lakes, waterbuck and reedbuck are found near the water, while shy bushbuck and duikers keep to the forested areas. Almost 400 species of birds have been recorded in the park. The highlight of a visit to Arusha National Park includes the chance to see the beautiful black and white colobus monkey, as well as the chance to glimpse the snowy peak of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Embark in the brisk morning hours on an optional walking safari and see the lovely scenery of this park by foot. Begin the adventure with a naturalist at the Arusha National Park gate and proceed to navigate the varied topography at the base and up the slopes of Mt. Meru, Africa's fifth highest mountain. Your hike today can be customized to your own specific hiking abilities. You can choose any duration of walk from a 1 - 2 hour leisurely nature walk to a more adventurous full day hike up the slopes of Mt. Meru. Just let your walking safari guide know your personal interests.

OPTION #5: School of St. Jude Visit

$300 per group

• Includes 1⁄2 day use of vehicle and guide
• Includes visit to the School of St. Jude

The School of St Jude is a charity funded school that provides a free, high-quality primary and secondary education to over 1,600 of the poorest, brightest children of Arusha region, Tanzania, East Africa. The school, located across three campuses, also provides boarding for 1,100 students, and employs over 450 Tanzanians. It was founded by Australian Gemma Sisia in 2002.

We have set up two tour options for our guests wishing to visit St Jude's. The first option is for a quick 2-hour tour of the facility for those guests with limited time. Guests will get to eat lunch with the children around noontime and receive a tour of the main buildings either before or after lunch. The 2nd option is for a home visit and involves a ride in one of the St Jude's school buses at the end of the school day back to a child's home. Either option can only be conducted Monday through Friday when classes are in session. Please contact your safari consultant and we can check with the school to make sure classes are in session on your proposed travel dates.