Dar es Salaam

Tanzania's largest city and gateway to East Africa, with a bustling fish market and Kariakoo Market, quick boat rides to snorkel off Bongoyo and Mbudya islands, and the starting point for Zanzibar and the southern parks.

Dar es Salaam (meaning "harbor of peace") lies on Tanzania's eastern Indian Ocean coast. It is the country's largest city, its economic center and main international gateway; although the capital has moved to Dodoma, most government offices and embassies remain here. Founded by the Sultan of Zanzibar in the 19th century and later ruled by Germany and Britain, the city preserves German-era churches and colonial buildings around the harbor downtown, and blends Swahili, Arab, Indian and African cultures. Areas to explore: downtown (Kivukoni Fish Market, St. Joseph's Cathedral, Azania Front Lutheran Church, the Askari Monument and the National Museum) makes for a half-day walk; to the west, Kariakoo is the liveliest market district; to the north, Oyster Bay and the Msasani Peninsula have Coco Beach, the Slipway, the Tingatinga Arts Cooperative and the Mwenge woodcarvers' market, along with most of the restaurants and hotels; boats run to Bongoyo and Mbudya islands for snorkeling; and Kigamboni's beaches on the south side of the harbor are good for a beach break. The climate is hot and humid; Jun–Oct is cool, dry and best, Dec–Feb is hot, Mar–May brings the long rains and November the short rains. Getting around: Julius Nyerere International Airport has connections via the Middle East and East Africa; in the city, use ride-hailing apps or the bus rapid transit (BRT), as traffic congestion is severe. The fast ferry to Zanzibar takes about 2 hours, and the city is also the starting point for Mikumi, Nyerere National Park and other southern parks. Plan on 2–3 days. Safety: avoid walking at night, don't flaunt valuables, watch for pickpockets in markets and at the ferry terminal, and be cautious about photographing government buildings.

Top sights

• Village Museum – An open-air folk museum with reconstructed traditional houses of Tanzania's ethnic groups, plus traditional dance and craft demonstrations.
• Kivukoni Fish Market – The city's largest fish market, where fishing boats return at dawn for auctions; buy your seafood and have stalls fry or grill it on the sp…
• Kariakoo Market – One of East Africa's largest open-air markets, where streets around an inverted-cone-shaped market hall are crowded with spice, fabric, ele…
• Bongoyo Island – The island closest to the city within a marine reserve, with white sand beaches, snorkelling and grilled fish lunches, reached by boat in a…
• National Museum of Tanzania – The main building of Tanzania's National Museum, displaying fossils of early humans from Olduvai Gorge, artefacts of the Swahili coast and…
• Mbudya Island – A protected small island off Kunduchi Beach, with longer sand and fewer people. Good for swimming, snorkelling and seafood barbecues.
• Coco Beach – A city beach along Oyster Bay, busy on weekend evenings with grilled corn, barbecue and cassava stalls. It is where locals go to stroll and…
• Kigamboni Beaches – A peninsula of beaches across the harbour, reached by ferry or over the Nyerere Bridge. Palm-fringed beach resorts make it a good day trip.
• St. Joseph's Cathedral – A Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral built by German missionaries in 1897, its twin spires facing the harbour. It is a landmark of the city…
• Azania Front Lutheran Church – A Lutheran church built by Germans in 1898 on the harbour's edge. Its red-tiled bell tower was a landmark of the colonial-era Dar es Salaam…
• Askari Monument – A bronze statue of an African soldier on a roundabout in the city centre, commemorating African soldiers and porters who fought for the Bri…
• Dar es Salaam Botanical Gardens – An old city-centre botanical garden founded by Germans in 1893, shaded by palms and flame trees and right next to the National Museum.
• The Slipway, Msasani – A seaside leisure complex on Msasani Peninsula with sunset bars, craft shops, and the departure point for boats to Bongoyo Island.
• Tingatinga Arts Cooperative – The birthplace of the brightly coloured Tinga Tinga painting style, where you can watch artists at work and buy authentic originals to take…
• Mwenge Woodcarvers Market – A handicraft market with dozens of woodcarving workshops, where you can watch artisans carve Makonde ebony pieces and haggle over prices.
• Kunduchi Ruins – Ruins of an old Swahili mosque and pillar tombs in the coastal scrubland, notable for pillar gravestones once inlaid with ceramic bowls.

Where to eat

• Mamboz Corner BBQ – An open-air night barbecue stall on a corner in central Kisutu, known for charcoal-grilled chicken and beef skewers. It…
• Karambezi Café – A two-level open-air restaurant on the cliffs of the Sea Cliff Hotel, overlooking the Indian Ocean. It is famous for se…
• Chef's Pride Restaurant – A long-established city-centre canteen dating back to the 1980s, widely regarded by diners as Dar es Salaam's most auth…
• The Waterfront Sunset Restaurant – A waterside bar-restaurant on the Slipway quay facing Msasani Bay, famous for sunsets, with seafood, pizza, and Indian…

Itineraries

• Nyerere National Park Safari & Zanzibar – Fly from Dar es Salaam to Nyerere National Park for a river safari, then head to Zanzibar's Stone Town and East Coast.
• Swahili Coast Ancient Cities Tour – Travel north from Dar es Salaam to Bagamoyo, then head south to Kilwa to explore World Heritage sites.