Lying halfway between Cairo and Cape Town, the town has a history that commenced in the 19th Century when Captain Johannes built a fort at the foot of Mount Meru to facilitate the German colonization of what later became known as Tanganyika. From the little fort, which still stands and has became converted into a museum of natural history, the town of Arusha grew; first as a trading post for the local people, and now into famous centre for various international activities.