Arusha City & Cultural Tour
A private half-day tour of Arusha with a local guide: the clock tower, the Arusha Declaration Museum, the busy central market, the Maasai craft market and the Cultural Heritage Centre, with hotel pick-up and drop-off.
Meet the Town Before the Safari
Most visitors only see Arusha on the way to the airport or the parks. This tour gives the town a morning or an afternoon of its own. You start at the clock tower roundabout in the centre, learn how Tanzania's first president set out the country's path at the Arusha Declaration Museum, and walk through the central market, where traders sell everything from bananas and spices to secondhand shoes.
Then you browse the stalls of the Maasai market for beadwork and carvings, and finish at the Cultural Heritage Centre, a large gallery of East African art and crafts outside town. It is a good way to spend an arrival or departure day, or a free afternoon between a climb and a safari.
Highlights
- The clock tower and the town centre on foot
- The Arusha Declaration Museum and the Uhuru Monument
- The central market with your guide
- The Maasai craft market for beadwork and carvings
- The Cultural Heritage Centre art gallery
What to bring
- Comfortable shoes and light clothes
- Some Tanzanian shillings or small US dollar notes for purchases
- A hat and water
- Ask before photographing people
Around Arusha
Planning your trip? Arusha National Park, Safari packing list
Route Map
- By road
- Day of the trip
- Arusha
Lines show the order of travel, not the exact roads.
Your guide and driver collect you from your hotel at about 9 am for the morning tour, or about 1:30 pm for the afternoon tour.
A short walk around the clock tower roundabout and the old town centre, then the Arusha Declaration Museum, which tells the story of Tanzania from colonial times to independence and the 1967 Arusha Declaration, and the Uhuru Monument nearby.
Your guide leads you through the central market's fruit, vegetable and spice stalls and explains what local families cook. Then you visit the Maasai market, a cluster of stalls selling beadwork, carvings and fabrics, where bargaining is part of the fun.
The last stop is the Cultural Heritage Centre on the edge of town, a large gallery of paintings, sculpture and crafts from across East Africa, with shops for gifts. Then we drive you back to your hotel.
Price Per Person — Private Tour
| Group Size | Price Per Person |
|---|---|
| 1 Person | $120 |
| 2 People | $65 |
| 3 People | $50 |
| 4 People | $40 |
| 5 People | $35 |
| 6 People | $30 |
Price per person in US dollars, by the number of people on the tour. Groups of more than 6: price on request.
Trip Notes
- Start & end: your hotel in Arusha
- About 4 hours, morning or afternoon
- Private tour: your group only
- Easy walking in town
- Good for arrival or departure days
Includes
- Private vehicle with driver for the day
- English-speaking local guide
- Entrance fees at the Arusha Declaration Museum
- Bottled water
Excludes
- Lunch and drinks
- Purchases at markets and galleries
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Travel insurance
- Tanzania's compulsory inbound travel insurance for foreign visitors (44 US dollars per person, from 1 October 2026)
Questions Travellers Ask
How long does the tour take?
About four hours including driving between stops, so it fits easily into a morning or an afternoon.
Is Arusha safe to walk around?
The centre is busy and generally friendly. Your guide stays with you, helps with bargaining and keeps an eye on your belongings; keep valuables out of sight, as in any town.
Can I take photos in the markets?
Yes, but always ask before photographing people, and accept a no politely. Some traders may ask for a small payment.
Can we add a coffee farm or lunch?
Yes. We can add a local lunch or a visit to a coffee farm on the slopes of Mount Meru; ask us for the price.
Do I need to bring cash?
Small Tanzanian shilling notes are useful in the markets, where many stalls take cash only. Ask your guide before you go which shops accept cards.
