Coastal & Islands · Gateway City
Haven of Peace
Dar es Salaam is Tanzania’s largest city and its commercial engine — a hot, busy, thoroughly Swahili port where dhows still unload at the fish market a few hundred metres from the office towers. Most visitors pass through on the way to Zanzibar or the southern parks, but it repays a day or two.
The National Museum holds Louis Leakey’s hominid finds from Olduvai, the open-air Village Museum reconstructs traditional houses from across the country, and Kariakoo market is as busy and unfiltered as East African commerce gets.
- National Museum, including the Olduvai hominid finds
- The Village Museum's traditional architecture
- Kivukoni fish market at dawn
- Ferries to Zanzibar and the SGR railway inland
Good to Know
Dar es Salaam at a Glance
What You'll Find
Best Time to Visit
June to October is dry and slightly cooler; December to February is hot and bright.
Population
Around 5 million, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa.
Connections
Ferries to Zanzibar, flights nationwide, and the SGR line west toward Mikumi and Morogoro.
Getting There
Julius Nyerere International Airport is Tanzania’s main international gateway.
- National Museum
- Village Museum
- Kariakoo Market
- Kivukoni Fish Market
- Coco Beach
- Botanical Gardens
- St Joseph's Cathedral
- Dhow Harbour
- Seafood
- Bongo Flava
Things to Do
A Day in the City
A half-day walking tour covers the museums, the old German and Asian quarters and the harbour; afternoons are for the beaches north of the city or a boat to Bongoyo Island.
- Museum and city walking tour
- Kivukoni fish market and the dhow harbour
- Bongoyo Island day trip for snorkelling
- Coco Beach and the northern peninsula
More Than a Transit Stop
Arriving or leaving through Dar? We’ll fill the spare day properly.