Arusha Village Experience
Arusha Village Experience
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
4.0
63 reviews
Excellent
29
Very good
18
Average
9
Poor
4
Terrible
3
AutumnBey
Nashville, TN14 contributions
I think the title says it all. Learning how the human mammals thrive in this African country is just as important as how the four legged kind survive. You will be enlightened and frustrated with the things you will learn and see. But it is imperative that your visit is not just about your own self gratification of spotting "the big five" but about the knowledge on how the rest of the world functions in daily life. Trust me. You'll love it even if it may make you temporarily uncomfortable.
Written December 22, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
edrobbie
San Francisco79 contributions
Jan 2014 • Friends
Arusha is central to many great parks including Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara, the Serengeti, Arusha Park and others. There are several good places to stay in the city and several high end places close by.
There is not much to do in Arusha besides the typical attractions you will find in most East African cities (markets, plantations, etc.) I was in Arusha for six weeks and had no problem with theft or any type of crime. Be very careful as cars will not stop for you and they drive on the left (like Great Britain) so you may not look in the correct direction if you are from a country that drives on the right.
There is not much to do in Arusha besides the typical attractions you will find in most East African cities (markets, plantations, etc.) I was in Arusha for six weeks and had no problem with theft or any type of crime. Be very careful as cars will not stop for you and they drive on the left (like Great Britain) so you may not look in the correct direction if you are from a country that drives on the right.
Written October 25, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
levent c
Istanbul, Türkiye3 contributions
Dec 2013 • Family
Hello - My husband, sons (age 22& 17) and I just returned from an African trip put together by The Kiliholidays Tours and Safaris. We worked closely with our team to craft the perfect journey and now I want to let you know that we had the most PERFECT trip ever! Anyway, just wanted to let you know that we could not have had a better time! And things went amazingly smoothly! No glitches, no bumps in the road. Our journey was AMAZING!!! There was always someone to greet us wherever we went; we always had a ride to wherever we were headed; our accommodations were first rate! In fact, at one of our camps, an Abercrombie and Kent vehicle pulled up and those travelers (who I know paid twice as much as we did) were so happy to be staying at such a great camp -- the same camp as us! This was truly a life-changing experience and we know we want to return again in the future. Our Tanzania guide, Deo, made sure we saw all the big five and then some. He is knowledgeable! In the Serengeti Park we saw 6 lionesses take down a wildebeest and then watched the pride eat their meal -- Very cool! We saw a mom and baby rhino in the ngorongoro crater.
We had a bush lunch down the crater with crocodiles and another family that we became friends with. We watched wildebeest moms giving birth in the crater. We saw a leopard devour its kill up in a tree. Then we saw leopards so close to our vehicle that we could have touched them! And cheetah! Anyway, we are sorting through our thousands of photos and video that we took. We have shared our experiences with everyone who asks (which is pretty much everyone!) The Masai tribes are beautiful, warm people and we have video and photos of us dancing with them and hugging them. Well, you probably hear this all the time, but I did want to share a little with you. We cannot thank Kiliholidays Tours and Safaris enough for putting together such a life-altering and FLAWLESS journey for us!! I would highly recommend using Kiliholidays Tours for planning the perfect safari and we will undoubtedly use them again in the future!
We had a bush lunch down the crater with crocodiles and another family that we became friends with. We watched wildebeest moms giving birth in the crater. We saw a leopard devour its kill up in a tree. Then we saw leopards so close to our vehicle that we could have touched them! And cheetah! Anyway, we are sorting through our thousands of photos and video that we took. We have shared our experiences with everyone who asks (which is pretty much everyone!) The Masai tribes are beautiful, warm people and we have video and photos of us dancing with them and hugging them. Well, you probably hear this all the time, but I did want to share a little with you. We cannot thank Kiliholidays Tours and Safaris enough for putting together such a life-altering and FLAWLESS journey for us!! I would highly recommend using Kiliholidays Tours for planning the perfect safari and we will undoubtedly use them again in the future!
Written May 20, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
John M
Toronto, Canada99 contributions
Jan 2015 • Family
I am a world traveller having been to all 7 continents and many places and this is possibly the worst place I have visited in terms of aggressive touts, 2nd to egypt. The second we left the Arusha Hotel they were on us. I think the fact I was travelling with two kids a 15 year old girl and a 9 year old boy stoked them. One person started swearing at the colour of our skin. Unfortunately we could not enjoy the market or culture and had to cut the trip short. Until police get this under control I do not recommend Arusha especially for women and children.
Written February 2, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Neil G
Abbotsford, Canada37 contributions
Feb 2013 • Solo
My recent trip to Tanzania was without question one for the ages.The summit of UHURU PEAK on Feb. 25 will last forever, as will the Tanzania culture. Let me first of start with the Mt.Kilimanjaro Trek. I opted for the Lemosho Route (8days) as I wanted the best chance to summit, extra days certainly will assist with acclimation. The Lemosho Route is less travelled for the first 3 days, then hooks up with the Machame Route.
The tour operator was ClimbKili. From the initial planning stages the people from the head office were responsive to all email inquires and forwarded the information package well in advance. Once in Arusha, representatives from the office came to the hotel for a final briefing, to ensure we had all the proper gear and finalize departure times for the trek. Also, they were at the airport upon arrival with my name, very easy to locate and a sense of security. The guides,porters, cooks and all other support staff were nothing but professional. They really wanted you to enjoy the experience and summit. Always smiling.....no money but very happy!
Several members of the team did not summit due to the altitude, they were never left alone and closely monitored. Assistant guides were with them every step of the way, and available at any time during the night if needed. Never any pressure to go faster, but rather taking as long as you needed to get to the next camp. I witnessed several tour operators basically running thru the trails and clients trying to keep up, what was the point of this I said to myself. ClimbKili had a plan and executed it to a tee, lots of times for breaks and pictures along the way. Lastly, give yourself a couple days before the trek actually starts, my gear was delayed in Amsterdam for a day, would have been terrible to start the trek the next day with only my boots.Your going that far, a couple extra days will not break the bank.
While in Arusha I opted to stay at the Christina House....I wanted to experience the culture of Tanzania, this was not going to happen by staying at a big hotel downtown Arusha. The Christina House is located roughly 11km from Arusha, a small B&B that offers everything one needs. Security is not an issue, you are safe and will never have to worry about your items. If you leave for the day, just give your key to Helen/Ros.....Traditional meals are prepared/cooked with locally grown organic fruit, veggies and served with the real wooden spoons. Simply put, delicious and you must try the pumkin soup. The staff wants you to enjoy every aspect of your stay, being satisfied is a concern to them, they want you to feel right at home.
Christina who is the owner can arrange numerous day trips; coffee farm tour, shopping at markets, embrace the villages, Arusha National Park, or even some routes to get those legs ready for your Kili Trek. All for a fraction of the price that most tour operators will charge. Just ask for Okuli, he is very professional and at the end of the day you will be very happy of what you experienced. There is no pressure at all, just tell them what you want to see and they will present several options with a reasonable fee.....you then decide what you want to do.
I was very blessed to have travelled to Tanzania, and have the fondest memories of everyone who shared the moment(s) with me.
The tour operator was ClimbKili. From the initial planning stages the people from the head office were responsive to all email inquires and forwarded the information package well in advance. Once in Arusha, representatives from the office came to the hotel for a final briefing, to ensure we had all the proper gear and finalize departure times for the trek. Also, they were at the airport upon arrival with my name, very easy to locate and a sense of security. The guides,porters, cooks and all other support staff were nothing but professional. They really wanted you to enjoy the experience and summit. Always smiling.....no money but very happy!
Several members of the team did not summit due to the altitude, they were never left alone and closely monitored. Assistant guides were with them every step of the way, and available at any time during the night if needed. Never any pressure to go faster, but rather taking as long as you needed to get to the next camp. I witnessed several tour operators basically running thru the trails and clients trying to keep up, what was the point of this I said to myself. ClimbKili had a plan and executed it to a tee, lots of times for breaks and pictures along the way. Lastly, give yourself a couple days before the trek actually starts, my gear was delayed in Amsterdam for a day, would have been terrible to start the trek the next day with only my boots.Your going that far, a couple extra days will not break the bank.
While in Arusha I opted to stay at the Christina House....I wanted to experience the culture of Tanzania, this was not going to happen by staying at a big hotel downtown Arusha. The Christina House is located roughly 11km from Arusha, a small B&B that offers everything one needs. Security is not an issue, you are safe and will never have to worry about your items. If you leave for the day, just give your key to Helen/Ros.....Traditional meals are prepared/cooked with locally grown organic fruit, veggies and served with the real wooden spoons. Simply put, delicious and you must try the pumkin soup. The staff wants you to enjoy every aspect of your stay, being satisfied is a concern to them, they want you to feel right at home.
Christina who is the owner can arrange numerous day trips; coffee farm tour, shopping at markets, embrace the villages, Arusha National Park, or even some routes to get those legs ready for your Kili Trek. All for a fraction of the price that most tour operators will charge. Just ask for Okuli, he is very professional and at the end of the day you will be very happy of what you experienced. There is no pressure at all, just tell them what you want to see and they will present several options with a reasonable fee.....you then decide what you want to do.
I was very blessed to have travelled to Tanzania, and have the fondest memories of everyone who shared the moment(s) with me.
Written March 7, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
nickytravels
East London, South Africa474 contributions
This experience is tough to rate because it started with a terrible rating and ended excellently.
To be fair - Urban Adventures administration should get the terrible rating - our booking was not communicated with the Arusha office. The result, a call to Kenya and a 2 hour wait for our tour to begin.
Hussein and his team from Classic tours were excellent - they did an amazing job whipping up a trip to Mama Goodness and her Tengeru Cultural Tourism Program.
Our tour leader Godfrey ensured that we left well exercised (with a walk through the farm lands and plantations), well educated regarding the tribes and traditions of the local people and well fed. The traditional meal was absolutely delicious!
Coffee making was great fun and the day was topped with a dance group who were exceptional and kept all who were there clapping and cheering.
To be fair - Urban Adventures administration should get the terrible rating - our booking was not communicated with the Arusha office. The result, a call to Kenya and a 2 hour wait for our tour to begin.
Hussein and his team from Classic tours were excellent - they did an amazing job whipping up a trip to Mama Goodness and her Tengeru Cultural Tourism Program.
Our tour leader Godfrey ensured that we left well exercised (with a walk through the farm lands and plantations), well educated regarding the tribes and traditions of the local people and well fed. The traditional meal was absolutely delicious!
Coffee making was great fun and the day was topped with a dance group who were exceptional and kept all who were there clapping and cheering.
Written December 30, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Katie C
Boca Grande, FL24 contributions
Oct 2015 • Couples
We booked a organic coffee plantation and village tour through our lodge and it was a very off the tourist beat tour. Saw the organic co op farms and then saw the area they roasted and ground the coffee with a coffee tasting, loved the experience
Written November 25, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Zahra D
Warsaw, Poland5 contributions
Feb 2015 • Friends
Arusha was a beautiful city and despite it being a big tourist destination, it was bursting with culture and although we received many stares, we also returned many waves to children and other friendly locals. On our many excursions we drove past plantations and all the rusty shacks. There were typical maasai men herding their cattle and wearing their traditional cloths around them. When we did servkce work, we went into the real arusha, and not the tourist side. It was amazing that despite the difficulties and the poverty that was clearly visible, there were many happy children everywhere that greeted us. I hope one day to return and change the lives of more people:)
Written August 15, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Karim007_10
Brussels, Belgium215 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
Arusha is located at 650km from Dar Es Salam. You have 2 airport nearby, the Kilimandjaro International Airport, from which most expedition to the Kili starts and a smallest airpot mainly for small safari planes and local connections. The city itself quite chaotic, we just crossed it and I don't believe we'll spent time to visit it. We've not seen anything special to mention.
Written January 3, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Domien F
Houten30 contributions
Jul 2014 • Couples
Arusha doesn't have that many interesting things to visit. We visited the Maasai market (some further than the hotel Arusha Resort Centre), the central market, Cultural Heritage Centre, Snake farm (+Maasai Museum) and made a day tour to a Meru village.
In Arusha you really have to take care of your camera while taking photo's or filming; touts are very fast in ripping it off and run away (several warnings from tourists and people who live there). In the evening when it's dark, always take a trusted taxi (we used Gilbert +255755997790, one of the drivers on the list of Projects Abroad).
In Arusha you really have to take care of your camera while taking photo's or filming; touts are very fast in ripping it off and run away (several warnings from tourists and people who live there). In the evening when it's dark, always take a trusted taxi (we used Gilbert +255755997790, one of the drivers on the list of Projects Abroad).
Written August 16, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Hi,
I would like to know how to go to Landanai / Naberera from Arusha, are there bus services, taxi isn't overpriced ?
And then from Landanai / Naberera, how can I go to Lushoto ?
Thanks for help
Caroline G
Aurora, CO1 contribution
How far are you from stone town and the airport in time (Ie Minutes) ? Also how often does your shuttle go to town and can you set up daily tours ?
Thanks Caroline
nickytravels
East London, South Africa474 contributions
Arusha is miles away from Stone Town and Zanzibar - a full day drive if memory serves. There is a small plane airport in Arusha though.
Arusha seems to be a base for safaris and climbs to Kilimanjaro and that's it really.
We looked into shuttles from Zanzibar and remember that there were daily buses from Stone town but can;t help with references I'm afraid.
Arusha Village Experience - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Arusha Village Experience
- We recommend booking Arusha Village Experience tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 112 Arusha Village Experience tours on Tripadvisor
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