Tourist Places to Visit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, East Africa, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, East Africa, Africa

Dar es Salaam is the largest city and former capital of the African country Tanzania, covering an area of 1,590.5 sq. km. It is situated on the eastern coastline of the country, around 500 km southeast of the country’s present capital, Dodoma. Dar es Salaam comprises three important administrative districts, Ilala, Kinondoni, and Temeke. Dar es Salaam geographically is positioned between 6°48′ S latitude and 39°17′ E longitude and features a tropical wet and dry climate with relatively hot and humid weather year round. Dar es Salaam offers diverse attractions for visitors like museums, botanical gardens and sports venues.

History of Dar es Salaam:

Earlier called Mzizima, Dar es Salaam originated as a village in the 19^th century and the village enlarged its limits towards becoming a city in 1865-66, founded by the Sultan Majid bin Said of Zanzibar. It served as the capital of Tanzania since the German rule in the country, later during the British reign, it was replaced by Dodoma as capital in 1974.

How to get Dar es Salaam?

Julius Nyerere International Airport is the airport serving Dar es Salaam, handling flights from many Africa, Asian and European cities, including Amsterdam, Cairo and Johannesburg. The airport is located around 12 km away from the centre.

Dar es Salaam is well connected by bus to all the major cities in Tanzania, including Arusha. Minibuses are the prevalent option to get around Dar es Salaam and taxis, rental cars and Bajaj vehicles are the other convenient options.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Dar es Salaam:

Nyumba ya sanaa is a prominent cultural centre in Dar es Salaam, home to a wide range of Tanzanian artworks. The area of Oyster Bay in Dar es Salaam is famous for the typical Tingatinga painting style.

Dar es Salaam is a great destination for shoppers ,with a series of traditional shops with colorful items like Tinga-Tinga paintings, kangas clothes and art and craft works.

Being home to a substantial number of Indian people, Dar es Salaam houses many nice Indian restaurants, including Retreat Restaurant and Red Onion.

What to do in Dar es Salaam?

Snorkeling
Swimming
Sunbathing
Shopping

What to see in Dar es Salaam?

Beaches of Dar es Salaam:

Beaches are one of the prime tourist attractions of Dar es Salaam, highlighted by the Bahari Beach and South Beach, both of these are well served by restaurants and cafes with crunchy and crispy Tanzanian delicacies.

Makumbusho Village Museum:

The Makumbusho Village Museum is situated on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam. This open air museum houses many traditional homes representing different ethnic groups in the country. There are also regular dance and music shows exhibited every day.

Benjamin William Mkapa Pension Tower:

The Benjamin William Mkapa Pension Tower is the tallest building in Dar es Salaam and Tanzania, holding 21 stories. This skyscraper is great to see during the night under lights.

Dar Es Salaam Botanical Garden:

The Dar Es Salaam Botanical Garden is situated next to the National Museum of Tanzania, home to a wide range of colorful tropical plants. It is a perfect spot for nature enthusiasts.

Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve:

The Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve is situated on the island, few kilometers away from the mainland Dar es Salaam. It is a famous day trip destination, offering excellent snorkeling, swimming and sunbathing experiences.

Other interesting places in and around Dar es Salaam include:

Azania Front Lutheran Church
Karimjee Hall
Zoological Gardens in Dar es Salaam
Mbudya Island
Askari Monument
National Museum of Tanzania
Wonder Workshop
Bongoyo Island

Best time to visit Dar es Salaam:

Throughout the year is best, especially from June to September is the ideal time to visit Dar es Salaam.

Accommodation options in Dar es Salaam:

The YMCA is one of the major place for accommodation in Dar es Salaam, where one can find all sorts of well equipped hotels, mainly mid range hotels. Price for hotel rooms ranges from 10000 Tzs to hundreds of dollars. Some selected top end hotels in Dar es Salaam include: