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Orientation
Arusha has two main streets: the highway from Dar Es Salaam to Nairobi forms the northern reaches of the city proper, and the highway to Dodoma and the Serengeti forms the southern border. Arusha sits on the southern foothills of Mt. Meru, and the mountain looms over the city like a big brother.
Every single safari operator on earth has an office in the Arusha International Conference Center (AICC). This monolithic monument to African Socialism was built to house the East African Community, but after civil war in Uganda and political disputes between Kenya and Tanzania, it was converted to a office park. When I was there (February/March 1999), the AICC was hosting the Ruwandan War Crimes Tribunal.
There are quite a few safari operators in Arusha. Most of them have offices in the Arusha International Conference Center. I can recommend Black Mamba Travels very highly. I arranged all of my safaris (3 mountain climbs and 1 Serengeti safari) with them, and they did an excellent job. All safaris are custom designed to fit your individual preferences and timeframe.
The large safari companies (i.e. Abercrombie & Kent) have offices abroad in the US and Great Britain. This has advantages and disadvantages. For the pluses, it makes it fairly easy to communicate with them and arrange payment. On the down side, having secretaries and marketing representatives in the US costs a lot of money. And you pay a considerable premium for the service.
Personally, I liked working with Black Mamba because (a) it cost probably one half as much as the big operators would have charged, and (b) the proceeds of my safari went to Tanzanians, not Americans. If I am travelling in a poor country, I would hate to see all of my hard currency go into the pockets of an American, instead of the local operators.
Don’t get film developed in Tanzania. If you absolutely need to get stuff developed before going home, take it to Nairobbery--er--Nairobi, and get it done there. However, purchasing film in Arusha is pretty straight forward. They get a lot of tourists in Arusha, and consequently, the film is reasonable fresh. You even have a good chance of finding slide film. I didn’t need to do this, thanks to my brother Ben, who resupplied me with 100 rolls that he ordered from B&H and hand-carried to me.
The Barracuda is THE place to hang out with the locals, eat nyama choma , and drink Kilimanjaro Lager. This place, located just south of the Arusha International Conference center, has a good bar and is always crowded with expatriates and well-off locals. A beer will cost you about $1, and dinner (nyama choma and bananas) will cost $2.
If the local scene is not your thing, then you can head to the "New" Arusha Hotel, built at the height of Socialist Tanzania in the 60s, my wife and I walked in there 3 times and never saw a soul. But with beers twice the cost of the Barracuda, you will probably be able to sit quietly without being disturbed.
I can personally vouch for the following restaurants
I walked into the ethiopian restaurant near the Meru Inn. It had a wonderful menu, and if I had an extra night, I would have tried this place. I also ate at a popular place called "The Safari Grill", which is on Boma Rd, around the corner from the Barracuda. Personally, I didn't care for it too much. It was a little too touristy.
This is a neat place to go and kill some time if you find yourself in Arusha between safaris. It is one of the largest in East Africa. The colorful displays of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and livestock is overwhelming. The vendors will treat you like royalty as they try to sell you 5 kilos of tomatoes. Don't be intimidated by the swarming mass of people here, but be careful. The pickpockets abound here.
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