Dusk settles over Arusha and the temperature drops with it, so a jacket earns its place in your bag before you head out. You might start with dinner in a modern complex on Njiro Road, then move on to a bar or club where the night runs late into the small hours.
Arusha's nightlife is informal and spread out rather than concentrated in one strip. There are many local bars that are generally welcoming to adventurous foreign visitors, alongside restaurants and bars that cater mainly to those who prefer to avoid locals altogether. Nightclubs draw both locals and foreigners and tend to start late and finish very late. The scene suits travellers who are comfortable making their own way between venues and who treat a night out as a chance to mix rather than to stay sealed off.
Where to go out in Arusha
1. Local bars
Arusha has many local bars, described as uncountable, and they are generally welcoming to adventurous foreigners. This is the kind of night that suits you if you want to drink where residents drink and are happy to strike up conversation.
As with any unfamiliar bar scene, keep an eye on your belongings and use the same discretion you would anywhere.
2. Via Via
Via Via sits in the grounds of the old German fort and is described as an interesting cultural centre, run as part of an NGO that trains locals in the hospitality industry. It is the choice of the less adventurous visitor who still wants some local character rather than a purely insulated evening.
Because it operates as a cultural centre as well as a place to drink, it can work well as an early stop before moving on.
3. Bars and restaurants away from the local scene
There are plenty of bars and restaurants for those who wish to avoid locals altogether, and these places are very easy to find. This suits a quiet dinner or a drink without much interaction beyond your own group.
4. Nightclubs
The Velocity, Colobus Club, Maasai Camp, Triple A, 777 and Polygon Triangle are named as nightclubs popular with locals and foreigners alike. They start late and finish very, very late, or early depending on how you count it, so this is a night that suits people who do not mind a late start.
Pickpockets have been known to operate in these venues, and they are also popular with local sex workers, so the usual discretion should be applied.
5. The Njiro Road complex
Njiro Road holds a modern complex with Century Cinema, showing films, along with modern and upmarket restaurants including the Indian restaurant Khan's, the steak outlet McMoody's and the multi-cuisine restaurant Spice Retreat. This suits an evening built around dinner and a film rather than a bar crawl.
Njiro Road is not safe to walk on at night, so arrange another form of transport to reach the complex rather than going on foot. A taxi to or from the town centre should not cost more than Tsh 4,000.
How a night out unfolds
The sources give only a rough shape to the evening. Dinner and a film at the Njiro Road complex is an early option, with cinema tickets priced at Tsh 5,000 to 7,000. Nightclubs start late and finish very, very late, so if clubs are your aim, plan for a late night and arrange transport rather than walking. Beyond that, the sources do not specify when people eat or how late bars generally run.
Frequently asked questions
Are Arusha's local bars welcoming to foreign visitors?
Yes. The local bars are described as generally welcoming to adventurous foreigners, though there are also plenty of bars and restaurants for those who prefer to avoid locals altogether.
What time do Arusha's nightclubs get going?
They start late and finish very, very late. The sources do not give specific opening hours.
Is it safe to walk to the Njiro Road complex at night?
No. Njiro Road is not safe to walk on at night, so you should get there by another form of transport. A taxi to or from the town centre should not cost more than Tsh 4,000.
What should I watch out for in the clubs?
Pickpockets have been known to operate in the popular clubs, and those venues are also popular with local sex workers, so the usual discretion should be applied.
Decide whether your evening is dinner and a film or a late club night, sort out your transport in advance, and plan the night around what you actually want from it.