Arusha Airport

This photo shows the large but quite and tranquil city of Arusha, a city in the Northern part of Tanzania. It is the tourism capital of the country as it is surrounded by the National Parks and different mines of Colored gemstones headed by Tanzanite

Cool, bright sunny weather when I arrived at the aiport.  Nice view of Mt. Meru in a distance. Tanzanian flag welcoming guests with a welcoming ambiance.

The arrival lounge at the airport. I waited for a couple of minutes here while waiting for my pick up.

Gem Drilling

My friend and I came to visit our friend's gem cutting shop in Dar Es Salaam and have actually seen the the actual way of drilling a whole on the stone. I have used the cabbing and faceting machines but not this drilling machine yet. Lucky enough Adam was there to do the drilling for us. Few stones were drilled in few minutes, roughly 1-2 minutes drilling of each stone depending on the hardness and size of the stones. Water must be constant to avoid breakage on the stone.

Arusha Acrobats

I don't really know what is their group name but I really like them. I salute. They did a good job because they kept my feet rising from the ground.. lol.

The Majestic Mount Kilimanjaro

The Majestic Mount Kilimanjaro on early morning covered with clouds slowly revealing its snow covered peak to greet humanity!

The peak of Mount Kilimanjaro is hard to see on this particular time and even so most of the days because of the cold place. We just had a luck to see its peak on the way back to Dar Es Salaam. 

Arusha-Tanzania

Arusha is known by many as the hub of Gemstones in Tanzania. Not known to me before, and as it is my first time to visit Arusha after 3 years in the country, I was excited to see the place along with my friends to attend the awaited Arusha Gemshow -the biggest show in East Africa showcasing different minerals and Gemstones from the different regions of Africa.  The show was well organized and as an observer and exhibitor, I hope next year would be better in terms of the quantity of buyers around the world.

We drove for 12 long hours until we reached our destination. What makes Arusha more lovable than Dar Es Salaam  is the cold weather and its welcoming and peaceful location just right below the vast plains of Mount Meru. The budget hotel we stayed was good, Mount Meru Hotel has a nice landscape that can satisfy your eyes of the green environment and cold breeze on a bright sunny day. The music and the lounge at night gives you a relaxing mood. On some nights, there was a band, and they sing very well which made us dance and enjoy that one had to drag our friend away from dancing :-) as it was getting late.  Nope, I mean it was just all good, and this is something missing from Dar- enjoying in a cool, nice, safe place with good music and drinks yeah?

Gemstone Safari in Tanzania

Gemstone Safari in Tanzania happens once a year. This year the schedule starts on New Years day.
Travelers will be guided throughout their journey by a certified Lapidary Instructor Noreen Masaki through the different mines in Tanzania. Options will be given to cut and polished your own mined stones from your visits and will be yours to keep. Travelers will also be given an option to learn jewelry making.


Schedule:  January 1-18, 2014

Total 17 days                                                       Total 21 days
US$ 3150.-                                                          US$ 2551.-
Price per person in a double room.                      Price per person in a double room.
Add US$ 300.- for a single room.                       Add US$ 300.- for a single room.

For reservations please click here.
Reservations made through this site earns a FREE Amethyst Keyholder by MC. 

Explore Tanzania

Travelling in Tanzania will not only entertain travelers with the bountiful flora and fauna. The country itself is a home of east and the west whereby many have come and live forever. It is a multicultural country so as you travel around, chances of meeting your fellows are high and the locals are naturally friendly and hospitable.

 Many things have to be learned and discovered. To reach out to those who want to spend some time in Tanzania whether for a Holiday, Business, Education or Work, I hope this site will guide you through some of your questions.