With visitors from 35 countries around the world so far attracted to a special prayer altar at Lake Duluti Forest Reserve, the area is putting Tanzania’s spiritual tourism on the global map, having received more than 1,000 people.
Located in Arumeru District, Arusha Region, the forest reserve is emerging as a new destination for faith-based and spiritual tourism, with prayer activities conducted in the forest and along the shores of the lake.
Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Dr Ashatu Kijaji today, October 24, 2026, joined more than 500 worshippers at the mountain of prayer for a prayer session.
Speaking after the session, Dr Kijaji said prayers for peace and security were essential to ensuring that Tanzania remained safe and a welcoming home for everyone.
“I have come to this place to join those who pray. I have also come to convey greetings from President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan,” she said.
The minister said President Samia had urged worshippers to continue praying for Tanzania and the world at large to ensure that peace and security were maintained.
“President Samia believes that this will enable citizens to continue engaging in various development activities,” she stated.
According to Dr Kijaji, prayer activities are also part of national development because peace and security are essential foundations that enable people to meet and carry out their daily activities.
“Without prayers, without peace and without security, we would not be able to gather as we have done here today. Tanzania is a safe country for people from different nations to visit and undertake development activities, including faith-based activities and prayers,” she said, stressing the importance of continuing to pray for lasting peace throughout the world.
She noted that Tanzania had many reasons to welcome the world, including its historical significance as the site where the remains of an early human ancestor were discovered at Olduvai Gorge.
She added that this history was among the factors that could raise Tanzania’s international profile and make it an important destination for visitors from different parts of the world.
“We have every reason to tell the world to come back home, and home is safe because we, the people of prayer, continue to place our beloved Tanzania in the hands of Almighty God,” she said.
Earlier, Prophet Bahati Mwakalinga of Divine Ministries Global-Arusha, speaking about the prayer ministry at Lake Duluti Forest Reserve, said the prayer altar in Arusha had continued to attract worshippers from various countries around the world.
He said the organisers had been praying for Tanzania at the site for more than 14 years, with the goal of establishing Arusha as a centre for prayer tourism.
Speaking in the presence of Natural Resources and Tourism Minister Dr Ashatu Kijaji, Prophet Mwakalinga said the site had recorded several development milestones during that period, including the construction of toilets and the provision of water through collaboration between the government and the Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS).
He said that when they began holding prayers on the mountain, the area lacked basic facilities despite attracting large numbers of worshippers who visited for prayer sessions.
He explained that the lack of infrastructure had forced them to erect tents to accommodate worshippers, while relying on temporary toilets brought in for tourists.
“For more than 14 years, we have been earnestly seeking God on this mountain. Initially, the mountain had nothing, but we thank God that as we continued praying, TFS leaders and our Tanzanian government built toilets for us,” he said.
He added that the site had been receiving more than 1,000 people, making it increasingly important to provide essential facilities for worshippers visiting the area for prayers.
Prophet Mwakalinga said access to water had initially been a major challenge because they had to transport it from distant locations. However, water was eventually made available at the site.
He said they regarded these developments as evidence of the changes that had taken place in the area as they continued with their prayers.
He further noted that they had witnessed people from different parts of the world visiting the prayer altar, giving them hope of expanding prayer tourism in Arusha City.
He said one of their key objectives was to ensure that Arusha gained international recognition as a centre for prayer tourism, alongside the country’s other established tourist attractions.
Prophet Mwakalinga said visitors from 35 countries had so far travelled to the prayer altar, expressing optimism that the number of countries and visitors coming to Arusha for prayers would continue to increase.