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Dar es Salaam
Largest city in Tanzania and capital of Dar es Salaam Region

Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam is the largest city and financial hub of Tanzania and capital of the Dar es Salaam Region.

Plan a trip to Dar es Salaam→From Zanzibar

It is located on the Swahili coast. With a population of over 7 million people, Dar es Salaam is the largest city in East Africa by population and the fifth-largest in Africa. Dar es Salaam remains an important economic centre and one of the fastest-growing cities in the world. Experts predict that the city's population will grow to over 10 million before 2030.

Get in

Getting to Dar es Salaam

Citizens of many Commonwealth and African nations can enter Tanzania visa-free. The list of included countries can be found here. However, travellers from most countries, including United Kingdom, Canada, or India, can obtain a visa on arrival for a fee of US$50 (US$100 for citizens of the United States), here is the list of countries that require referral visa. The fee must be paid in cash and in US dollars.

See

Worth seeing

  1. 01
    National Museum

    The national museum mainly shows photos and exhibitions on the development of human nature.

  2. 02
    Makumbusho Village Museum

    All of the houses within the village were constructed in accordance with the types of houses built by various ethnic groups throughout Tanzania.

  3. 03
    Askari Monument

    A monument dedicated to the Askari soldiers who fought in World War I.

  4. 04
    Zoological Gardens

    US$20.

  5. 05
    Karimjee Hall

    Former parliamentary building.

  6. 06
    Azania Front Lutheran Church

    This well-known landmark in the centre of the city was built by German missionaries.

Do

Things to do

Massage Try High Care Massage at the Slipway for a very professionally organized place. There are signs for lots of other massage and spa centres around town. Two places favoured by ladies in landcruisers are Lemon on Haile Selassie Road (next to George & Dragon pub) or the Spot on Chole Road (opposite the taxi stand).

  1. 01
    Century Cinemax

    Sam Nujoma Rd (inside Mlimani City Shopping Mall), customercare@centurycinemax.net.

  2. 02
    Suncrest Cineplex
Eat

Where to eat

Due in part to the growth of the expatriate community and the increasing importance of tourism, the number of international restaurants has risen very rapidly. The city now offers a rich and internationalized diversity of cuisine, ranging from traditional Tanzanian Barbecue style options such as Nyama Choma (Roasted meat – served with rice or ugali) and Mishkaki (Shish kebab – usually barbecued and served with salt,…

How locals move

Getting around Dar es Salaam the local way

  • Get inLook for those marked POSTA, which is the main Post Office in the city centre next to the ferry terminal.
  • Get inHitchhiking is uncommon, dangerous, and most drivers will expect some form of payment from foreigners.
  • Get inThe BRT runs on dedicated lanes, bypassing traffic jams that slow down regular cars and minibuses (dala-dala).
  • Get inPhase 1: Connects Kimara in the west to Kivukoni Ferry and Morocco, passing through the city centre (Posta).
  • Get inTravellers can take a short taxi, ride-hail, or dala-dala from the airport to connect to the nearest BRT stops along Nyerere Road, then continue by BRT into the city centre or other destinations.
  • Get aroundAs of 2022, Uber only operates bodabodas (motorcycles) and tuk-tuks.
  • Get aroundThe most common form of public transportation in Dar are minibuses called "daladalas".
  • Get aroundThese minibuses follow specific routes with the start and ending point clearly marked on the front of the vehicle.

From Wikivoyage: Dar es Salaam, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Hobbyfotowiki (CC0), Wikimedia Commons.