Probably the most beautiful balloon flight in the world and the ultimate safari experience. Closest to Arusha are the flights starting from Tarangire. All other flights take off from your central or southern Serengeti lodge/camp. In each case you are picked up and transferred to their launch site by 4×4. This safari is in high demand and therefore spaces are very limited. To secure your place we suggest you inquire with us in time.

Marangu – meaning Land of Water – is a romantic, rural town surrounded by lush landscapes and hidden waterfalls. It’s a nice place for swimming and exploring the foothills and forests of Kilimanjaro.

Of course you can swim in one of our swimming pools, work up a sweat in the fitness or have a jog in the colorful surroundings. But did you know there is a championship 18-holes golf close by? Why not go for a round of golf on the lush greens with Mount Kilimanjaro as a backdrop.

Because we believe that a good education is the key to a better future we support the very nearby Baraa Primary School with two paid cultural walks, whose proceedings benefit entirely to them. These walks encompass an actual visit to the Baraa Primary School. A unique way to see how a primary school in Tanzania works and to discover how iThemba (the Belgian foundation we are actively involved in) created a pleasant learning environment for the children and what projects are being followed-up or launched (the vegetable garden project, the annual health check,…) by iThemba to focus on the quality of education and on the quality of the children’s lives.

Meru Cultural Tourism is a local organisation specialised in cultural tours. Their expert guides know the greater Arusha area like the back of their hands and are walking encyclopedias on subjects ranging from local life, plants and birds, arts and crafts, local food, agriculture and so on. It will be a pleasure for them to take you on an unforgettable walk that will be off the beaten track in more than one way. On the following pages you will discover the cultural walks on offer. Although they all have their own specificity, all the cultural tours have one thing in common: they all give you an in-depth experience of the local surroundings and a unique insight into the people and their way of living. And most importantly, the profit goes entirely to the local community.

This trip will take you to a local organic and Fair Trade coffee farm. As you walk through the plantations you will be educated on the entire coffee-processing. You’ll enjoy a cup of coffee with the farmers while having a homemade Tanzanian lunch. You will also get the chance to visit the oldest church on Mt. Meru and to visit a local primary school.

Let us help you through the maze of markets, and provide you with an insider’s shopping experience to make your holiday complete. Enjoy a relaxing morning at the local market where you can find all the tropical fruits, vegetables, plants, local crafts and colourful materials.

The Makonde tribe of southern Tanzania are famed for their abstract wood carvings, including remarkable ‘trees of life’ which perfectly illustrate the archetypal African concepts of remembrance and continuity.

Have a look at the Cultural Heritage Centre or visit the Antique Makonde Carvers workshop in Arusha to buy directly from the craftsmen.

Vivid, bright colours and humorous designs are often used in these popular paintings. The style takes its name from the artist E.S. Tingatinga, born in the 1930s in South Tanzania and later moved to Dar Es Salaam, where he died in 1972, shot by the police who mistook him for a criminal.  Our art collection has several paintings from the Tingatinga school. We can show you the best places in Arusha to buy the finest paintings.

One of Africa’s best known tribes, the cattle-herding Maasai inhabit Northern Tanzania and Kenya. Their colourful blanket cloths provide picturesque photo-opportunities. We can bring you to the shops, close to the Arusha Central Market, selling blankets where also the Maasai buy them!

Northern Tanzania, specifically the region around Arusha, is the only place on earth known to contain Tanzanite, a precious transparent gemstone, first discovered in 1967. In its normal form, it is brown but when heated up to 500°C it acquires a characteristic colour and brilliance: from blue to violet and a rare olive green, which costs upwards of $500 per carat.