Arusha Town-Tanzania

Filling Passports
Oct 29, 2016
5 min read

Planning for a trip to Africa is much more the organising flights, accomodation and activities.

In the 3 months leading up to leaving for our trip there where so many things to organise. We had flights, vaccines, fundraising and most importantly researching exactly what we where going to be undertaking. The flights where the easy part from Sydney we where able to book flights with Etihad to Nairobi kenya and a connecting flight with Air Kenya to Kilimanjaro for $2100 AUD. Next was the vaccines this was the complicated part. We needed tents booster, meningococcal X 2, Hepatitis X 2, malaria tables and most importantly Yellow fever vaccine. This was the most difficult as only a specialist travel doctor can give it to you and you need this to be able to gain entry into both countries as they check your vaccine card. After doing our research we found we would be working with kids from 3-15 in a school for orphans and street kids. We approached the local pre-school Macarthur Pre-school and asked for any old clothes to be donated. We received an overwhelming response with close to 2 suitcases of clothes being donated to us.

We left on the 13th of January really having no idea of what we where getting ourselves into. An hour stop over in Abu dhabi and 20 hours later we arrived in Nairobi. We arrived nervous as a large terror attack had only occurred in Nairobi only a matter of weeks beforehand. Our nerves weren't helped when we where unaware we had to have a visa to change terminals and board our flight to Tanzania. Thankfully the people where extremely helpful and nice and informed us we are able to get a visa from the airport for $20USD that last for a day whilst in transit. We arrived in Kilimanjaro Airport about 9:30pm tired and exhausted from a 30 hour flight in total to find a representative of IVHQ waiting for us with a bus. On our 40 min trip from the airport to our share house it was pitch black, no street lights and what little light there was we could see people out on the street vans and trucks overflowing with people on the back out the sides everywhere. Just from a 40minute trip to our house scared and nervous we where immediately questioning our decision.

Arusha town is beautiful with a landscape of mountains surrounding the town. You have the ever present Mt Meru in the foreground with Mt Kilimanjaro (the largest mountain in Africa and the largest free standing mountain in the world) in the background. The melted water from the snow on the top of the mountain runs underground until they come to a little oasis in the middle of a desert patch where the water forms a beautiful hot springs with clear beautiful water that is the exact same temperature all year round. It is literally a slice of paradise in the middle of nowhere. In Arusha town itself you have numerous markets for souvenir shopping and buy local products. My personal favourite are the Massai Markets these are the most common markets for tourists where bargaining is encouraged and the better you are at it the more fun and greater deals can be had. You can get wooden souvenirs, beautiful traditional African clothing, Sports clothes, Shoes and beautiful food. The main area of town is made for tourists you can find beautiful restaurants, shops and large supermarkets for everything you need. Mind you if you are shopping at these supermarkets they generally mark the prices up as only Muzungos (white people) shop in the shops. If you go to a little locally owned market for everything that isn't organic you are helping the locals out and saving yourself money. There is one main road which is tar and as soon as you get of this road its dirt tracks so be prepared to get dirty!

During our time in Arusha we did a hike to the Mt Meru waterfalls. These are stunning waterfalls from the snow at the top of the mountains. They take approximately 2-3 hours to hike to. Its not an intense hike any one of any age and fitness level can do it and its well worth it. You start on dirt track and end up going through mountains, rice fields and rainforest with monkeys flying over your head until you come to a stunning high waterfall falling into a large water hole. Make sure you take your swimmers because you don't hike all that way just to look. There are plenty of things to do from Arusha. We weren't able to do everything there but the options are plenty. From visiting snake farms, to Safari, Moshi (a beautiful town at the base of Kilimanjaro), Zanzibar ( a beautiful beach resort with crystal clear waters huge tourist destination), of course Climb Mt kilimanjaro. However the 2 i couldn't go past were Safari and the moshi hot springs. This springs are a must do. They can be done in a day trip and a private taxi will take you there wait why you enjoy it and drive you home. This springs are literally in the middle of nowhere surrounded by barron drylands you come to a group of trees with a small oasis in the middle. The springs are the same temperature all year around, have rope swings aswell as crystal clear blue water that is so pure and perfect my words here won't do it justice. The perfect place to spend an afternoon or a weekend.

Transport around is quite easy after the first time. There are no street numbers or names just areas once you remember your area its simple they have buses colour coded with 3 colours, green, yellow and blue with each one going to set areas. Its extremely cheap and not always guaranteed to get a seat with as many people as possible packed into the buses. Just riding theses buses is an experience in itself. The other option is private taxi. The volunteer organisation has its own group of trusted taxis which is more expensive but much more comfortable and quicker. Apart from those options the next best option is walking your able to meet people and experience things you wouldn't normally get to. However I wouldn't recommend walking round at night as there aren't many lights or designated roads.

Chemka (aka moshi) hot springs are a must do and one of my favourite things about Arusha. These springs are fresh water from up on the mountains that stay the same temperature all year round. Its an oasis in the middle of desert and no words i put down here can describe it. None of the locals how the water gets there or how it works. Its crystal clear water makes swimming in there an experience itself as does the many rope swings.

If volunteering isn't for you the I still encourage you to visit this place for a holiday. Even if its a short one. Between the markets, safari, hot springs, kilimanjaro or the people you can't go wrong and you will have an experience you'll never forget guaranteed!