We stayed in Arusha for 2 months in an average local neighborhood where the Internet signal was weak. Our home also didn’t have a working table or similar space of any sort so we often go out on extended coffee sprees to catch up with work. So overall, here are some places in Arusha for digital nomads or for those where wifi is an integral part of their lives. These spots, from our experience, have fast and reliable or at least a decent internet connection with a suitable table and chairs for working with the laptop.
Africafe
Where: Boma Rd, Arusha, Tanzania
They have tables but can’t, unfortunately, remember if they have nearby plugs for your laptop. The place has a nice vibe, not too small, and often packed at night so you want to avoid that unless you can secure a table, then you just need to make sure to keep ordering to extend your welcome. The wifi is stable but at times, we had to use our mobile data. It makes for a great place if you want to enjoy a nice coffee while catching up with light work. They serve meals from breakfast to dinner so there’s that as well if you want to spend the whole day. Make sure to try their Masala tea and brownies!
Picasso Cafe
Where: Kijenge Supermarket Simeon Road, Arusha Tanzania
This is our favorite spot and they have the fastest and most stable wifi among others. There are several tables inside and outside, plenty of corners near the plug, and they serve a variety of dishes too along with good coffee and drinks. We often hang out here for several hrs. on a Saturday and even though this meant spending extra, there wasn’t anything much in terms of what to do in Arusha anyway so we’d like to think of this as our entertainment. The only downside is that the owner seemed only nice to the customers and not to the staff, and that kind of gave an unpleasant vibe. But food, wifi, and the atmosphere are great. They have plenty of vegetarian options too that we absolutely loved!
Kitamu Coffee
Where: Goliondoi Street Plot NO 5/E, Arusha 255 Tanzania
It’s a small but nicely decorated cafe and restaurant. Since seats are limited, it might be off to stay for an extended period, but it has less food traffic than Africafe so the atmosphere here is more relaxing. This makes an ideal hub to work peacefully but make sure not to overstay or order sufficiently to make up for it. Food is great and wifi is also reliable.
Venus Premier Hotel
Where: Plot No 15, Block D, Martine Street, Arusha, Tanzania, Arusha 15113, Tanzania
We stayed here overnight at one point because we had too many files that needed uploading. This hotel in Arusha is the cheapest we found with the best wifi ratings. True enough, the connection did not disappoint both in the room and the common areas. The room was cozy and more than adequate and it even had a working station. In the restaurant area on the top floor, there were comfortable tables near the plug so we also worked there for several hours uninterrupted. It only gets busy during breakfast and dinner and outside of those hrs, it was quiet. They have good selections of breakfast buffet, great coffee if you just want to pop-in for a couple of hrs, and serve delicious Indian cuisines throughout the day.
Fifi’s Cafe
Where: Themi Rd, Arusha, PO BOX 1267, Tanzania
We didn’t come here but have heard good reviews about their wifi. It’s also near the center so definitely worth a try. If you go, let us know how it is!
I’m sure there are other places but these are the most accessible to us and was just about what we needed. Apart from these places, I would recommend buying a local sim card from Vodafone and getting yourself an internet bundle if an Internet connection is critical to your stay. They have several plans from days to weeks from 500 MB to 30 GB and are very reasonably priced. The connection is very stable and reliable and you can even download their app, which shows your usage/ data left. We use this sim-card with our wifi device so Martin and I only had to buy one and it worked everywhere in Tanzania including in all safari parks that we have visited.
You can find Vodacom in the center of Arusha city near the clock tower. You need to bring your passport when buying a sim-card and they only accept cash payments.
