Arusha is one of the most fascinating towns in Tanzania. It’s a boom wild west town, where the combinations of safari tours, tanzanite sales, coffee plantations, a huge expatriate community, and a number of other factors, make it an extremely lively place to be. You will either hate Arusha or love it. It’s a little bit intimidating, but if you embrace the chaos, it can actually be quite fun.

First, if you’re new to the city, look like a tourist, and only go in tourist areas (places where people are selling carvings), then it will be a little exhausting because of the constant people hassling you to buy something. On the other hand, if you take a few steps off the main block, and intentionally get semi-lost on the side street or in the markets, you will enjoy the overwhelming visual overload of everything happening around you. It may feel a bit awkward wandering off-the-beaten path, especially in a place so chaotic, but trust me its worth it.

One of the best things about Arusha is the restaurants. After traveling for a long time, it’s nice to taste something familiar. You can find good Indian, Chinese, American, and Italian food. Try to find Arusha’s versions of McDonald’s called McMoody’s on the main street through town.