Dar es Salaam

Over the last century, Dar es Salaam has grown from a quiet Zaramo fishing village into a thriving tropical metropolis of over four million people. Straddling some of the most important sea routes in the world, it is East Africa’s second-busiest port and Tanzania’s commercial hub. Despite this, the city has managed to maintain a low-key, down-to-earth feel.

Rimming the central area is Kivukoni Front, with a bustling fish market where dhows dock at dawn to offload the night's catch. Excellent craft markets and restaurants abound, and nearby sandy beaches and islands beckon.

Dar es Salaam’s architecture is a mixture of African, Arab, Indian and German, although much of this is now dwarfed by towering high-rises. Many travellers bypass ‘Dar’ completely; those that linger will encounter the city’s eclectic cultural mix and languid vibe.

Explore Dar es Salaam

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Nafasi Art Space
Aiming to be the leading contemporary art centre in Tanzania, Nafasi is a complex of studios housed in an old industrial warehouse in Mikocheni. Many…
National Museum & House of Culture
The National Museum houses a copy of the famous fossil discoveries of zinjanthropus ('nutcracker man') from Olduvai Gorge, plus other archaeological finds…
Village Museum
This open-air museum features a collection of authentically constructed dwellings illustrating traditional life in various parts of Tanzania. Each house…
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Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve System
The uninhabited islands of Bongoyo, Mbudya, Pangavini and Fungu Yasini, just off the coastline north of Dar es Salaam, form this marine reserve system…
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Fish Market
Head down to the Kivukoni fish market in the early morning to see fishers flog their catch to restauranteurs and homemakers with all the zeal of Wall St…
S
St Joseph Cathedral
This spired, Gothic-style, Roman Catholic cathedral was built at the turn of the 19th century by German missionaries. In addition to the striking stained…
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State House
An imposing complex set amid large grounds, the State House was originally built by the Germans and rebuilt after WWI by the British.
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Azania Front Lutheran Church
A striking edifice, with a red-roofed belfry overlooking the water, a rather stern Gothic interior and a marvellous, new handmade organ, this is one of…
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Kunduchi Ruins
These overgrown but worthwhile ruins include the remnants of a late 15th-century mosque as well as Arabic graves from the 18th or 19th centuries, with…

N
Nafasi Art Space
Aiming to be the leading contemporary art centre in Tanzania, Nafasi is a complex of studios housed in an old industrial warehouse in Mikocheni. Many…
National Museum & House of Culture
The National Museum houses a copy of the famous fossil discoveries of zinjanthropus ('nutcracker man') from Olduvai Gorge, plus other archaeological finds…
Village Museum
This open-air museum features a collection of authentically constructed dwellings illustrating traditional life in various parts of Tanzania. Each house…
D
Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve System
The uninhabited islands of Bongoyo, Mbudya, Pangavini and Fungu Yasini, just off the coastline north of Dar es Salaam, form this marine reserve system…
F
Fish Market
Head down to the Kivukoni fish market in the early morning to see fishers flog their catch to restauranteurs and homemakers with all the zeal of Wall St…
S
St Joseph Cathedral
This spired, Gothic-style, Roman Catholic cathedral was built at the turn of the 19th century by German missionaries. In addition to the striking stained…
S
State House
An imposing complex set amid large grounds, the State House was originally built by the Germans and rebuilt after WWI by the British.
A
Azania Front Lutheran Church
A striking edifice, with a red-roofed belfry overlooking the water, a rather stern Gothic interior and a marvellous, new handmade organ, this is one of…
K
Kunduchi Ruins
These overgrown but worthwhile ruins include the remnants of a late 15th-century mosque as well as Arabic graves from the 18th or 19th centuries, with…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Dar es Salaam.

See
Nafasi Art Space
Aiming to be the leading contemporary art centre in Tanzania, Nafasi is a complex of studios housed in an old industrial warehouse in Mikocheni. Many…
See
National Museum & House of Culture
The National Museum houses a copy of the famous fossil discoveries of zinjanthropus ('nutcracker man') from Olduvai Gorge, plus other archaeological finds…
See
Village Museum
This open-air museum features a collection of authentically constructed dwellings illustrating traditional life in various parts of Tanzania. Each house…
See
Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve System
The uninhabited islands of Bongoyo, Mbudya, Pangavini and Fungu Yasini, just off the coastline north of Dar es Salaam, form this marine reserve system…
See
Fish Market
Head down to the Kivukoni fish market in the early morning to see fishers flog their catch to restauranteurs and homemakers with all the zeal of Wall St…
See
St Joseph Cathedral
This spired, Gothic-style, Roman Catholic cathedral was built at the turn of the 19th century by German missionaries. In addition to the striking stained…
See
State House
An imposing complex set amid large grounds, the State House was originally built by the Germans and rebuilt after WWI by the British.
See
Azania Front Lutheran Church
A striking edifice, with a red-roofed belfry overlooking the water, a rather stern Gothic interior and a marvellous, new handmade organ, this is one of…
See
Kunduchi Ruins
These overgrown but worthwhile ruins include the remnants of a late 15th-century mosque as well as Arabic graves from the 18th or 19th centuries, with…

Guidebooks

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