Arusha Airport, also known by its IATA Code ARK and ICAO Code HTAR, is a regional airport located in the Arusha Region in the northern part of Tanzania.
Arusha is the start point for safaris in the Northern circuit and is a bustling city with a cool climate that is perfect for growing coffee.
Arusha Airport is the main destination/arrival location for flights from within the safari circuits, Zanzibar as well as other keys / popular Tanzanian destinations. Flights from Arusha tend to be more competitively priced and routes are serviced with much greater frequency than nearby (55km distance) Kilimanjaro International Airport which primarily services in- and out-bound international flights.
There are several options to transfer between Arusha and Kilimanjaro airports, including booking a transfer right here
Geographical Location – see map below
Arusha Airport is located to the West of the city, along the A104 Highway which passes Lake Manyara and leads to Dodoma. Arusha is known as the Geneva of Africa due to its climate and because it hosts the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.
NEW SAFETY MEASURE DUE TO COVID-19
Please note that due to Covid-19,the Arusha Airport has enacted several safety measures to protect both the staff and tourists coming in and out of the airport. These measures include:
- Ensuring every tourist arriving in the country is not infected with COVID-19; All travelers arriving will be subjected to an intensive screening and where necessary COVID-19 rapid testing.
- The airport staff will have to be tested for COVID-19 so that only those who are safe will provide services; Besides, all attendants will have to wear facemasks all the time; they will also have to wear gloves and will have to use sanitizers as directed by MoHCDEC. Besides, they must make sure that they observe the social distance of not less than one meter from one staff to another and from the guest
- All other members on the tourism activities value chain will be regularly monitored to ensure they are not infected with the Coronavirus; These include ensuring gloves are always worn when loading and unloading passenger baggage, cargo and pouches and the taxi drivers at the airport are tested. Only staff that are not infected with Corona Virus will be allowed to cater to tourists. However, all staff will have to wear masks and make sure that they stay at least one meter apart between themselves and the tourist.
- All tourist transport facilities, tourist accommodation and all other facilities used by tourists must be cleaned and sanitized before and after service acceptably to ensure that they do not become infected with Corona Virus.
Getting Here
- Taxi – Some taxis will get you from Arusha town to the airport 3 kilometers (10 minutes) away for Tzs 10000- Tzs 15000 ($5-7).
- Preferred Mode – Pre-arranged transfer or Taxis are the preferred methods especially if you have luggage with you.
- Shuttle Bus – The airport does not operate one. Hotels can arrange a pickup for you.
- Alternatives – Local busses operate on the route from the city center and there is a bus stop right outside the airport. It is a short walk, however, this would only be recommended if you are traveling light.
- Car Parking & Fees – There is no automated POS parking system at the airport and it is safe to assume that parking is free although there may be minimal charges from the local municipality.
- Auxiliary Information
- Flight from Hub
There are several flights a day from Julius Nyerere International airport in Dar es Salaam to Arusha (scheduled and unscheduled)and the flight duration can be between 1 hour and 3 hours depending on the aircraft that you will be traveling on.
Your taxi or transfer will drop you at the entrance to the airport terminal where you can check-in and await your flight while enjoying views of Mount Meru from the departure lounge.
- Kiosks – There is a shop that sells local soft drinks and snacks and a small lounge selling hot and cold drinks.
Hotels & Transit Accommodation
As Arusha is the start point for most Safaris in the Northern Circuit, accommodation is widely available to suit all budgets. Mount Meru hotel offers luxury accommodation and is one of the best-known hotels in Arusha. For a stay close to the Airport, there is the Arusha Coffee Lodge, a luxury getaway only five minutes from the airport. Settlers Executive Lodge offers all the essentials at a reasonable rate.
