Arusha is the gateway to the world famous game sanctuaries of Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Lake Manyara. Arusha is one of the oldest towns in Tanzania. From a tiny German garrison in 1900, Arusha has grown to become the tourist capital of Tanzania with a population of approximately 400,000 people.

Arusha sits at 1390 metres about sea level, and is the administrative seat of the East African Community made up of; Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. Arusha offers an excellent opportunity for authentic souvenirs, as well as the native gemstone known as Tanzanite. Tanzanite is one of the most beautiful and exciting gems to come from Africa and is sold in all gemstone shops in town alongside other locally mined stones such as Ruby, Rhodolite and Tourmaline.