Dar es Salaam

The name Dar es Salaam comes from the Arabic دَار السَّلَام, which means 'Haven of Peace'. Most locals refer to it as 'Dar'. It is the largest city in Tanzania and dates back to the 19th century when the Sultan of Zanzibar established a fishing village there, in order to turn the area around its creek into a safe port and trading center.

In 1891 the German colonial authorities moved their capital from Bagamoyo to Dar es Salaam, because the harbor at Bagamoyo was too small for the steamships that were getting bigger and bigger. In the 1990s the capital was moved to Dodoma.

Nowadays, Dar is a metropolis of at least 7 million people and the largest city in East Africa. In the busy harbor you can see tiny Arab dhows anchored next to huge ocean-going vessels. As in many African urban areas, the contrasts between the various parts of the city are great. The busy central streets around the colorful Kariakoo Market and clock tower are the main center of Dar.

Most buildings are low-rise and many colonial-era constructions are still standing. There are 5 districts in Dar:

Kinondoni is located in the north of Dar.
Ilala is the central part of town.
Ubungo is in the south.
Temeke is also in the south.
Kigamboni is located in the east of town, across the Kurasini estuary.

The government quarter is located in Kinondoni, to the north. It is the richest part of town, with tree-lined boulevards and modern office buildings. Dar doesn't really have any slums and even in the city's poorest areas people live in concrete buildings and not in shacks. It is a very warm place and above all salty. There are many different cultures in Dar es Salaam, but they all seem to mingle and mix without too many problems.

Points of interest

The Askari Monument is located in the Ilala neighborhood, along Samora Avenue. It marks the exact geographical center of Dar es Salaam.
The Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre is located in the Ilala neighborhood in central Dar es Salaam.
East of the city center, between Samora Avenue and Sokoine Drive, you will find the National Museum and the Botanical Gardens. The museum exhibits important archeological collections, including the fossil discoveries of Zinjanthropus (Nutcracker Man). The exposition of the Zanzibar slave trade and the German and British colonial periods are very interesting as well.
The Nyumba ya Sanaa (House of Art) is a cultural center, workshop and retail outlet dedicated to contemporary Tanzanian art.
Saint Joseph's Metropolitan Cathedral.
About 10 km (6 mi) from the city center is the interesting Village Museum. It is a village with authentic dwellings from different parts of the country. During the weekend traditional dances are performed there.
Three kilometers further down the Bagamoyo Road is makonde carving community of Mwenge. It is a good place to buy cheap traditional art works.
There are several good beaches not far from the city. The nearest one is Oyster Bay, which is 6 km to the north of the center, near the government quarter.
Daraja la Nyerere (Nyerere Bridge) is also known as Kigamboni Bridge connects Temekewith Kigamboni. It is 680 m long and it spans the Kurasini estuary. The cable-stayed bridge opened in 2016.
The Tanzanite Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge.

Dar es Salaam is a very busy city and it is hard to find an empty hotel room (no matter what category). If you find a vacant place take it even if you don't really like it; later you can always see if you find something better, but at least you'll have a roof to sleep under.

Dar is Tanzania's major international arrival point for flights and many major airlines have offices here. The airport is south of town and the railway station is southeast of the city center. The TAZARA train line connects the city with Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. Buses to most parts of the country leave from different locations within the city. Dar es Salaam doesn't have a central bus station and public transport is very crowded.

The city has frequent boat connections with the island of Zanzibar.

Dar is prone to flooding after heavy rains. The city is located in the east of Tanzania, on the Indian Ocean coast, 410 km southeast of Dodoma.

Miscellaneous Information

Latitude: 0°6 50 S' S
Longitude: 0°9 18 E' E
Elevation: 14 m (46 ft)

Population: 7,000,000
Cost-of-living compared to Washington D.C.: 130%

Hours from UTC: 3
Daylight savings time: n/a

City phone code: 51
Country phone code: 255

Average Weather Patterns

	Temperature	Precipitation
January	26.7°C (80.1°F)	6.6 cm (2.6 in)
April	26.4°C (79.5°F)	29 cm (11.42 in)
July	23.6°C (74.5°F)	3 cm (1.18 in)
October	25°C (77°F)	4.1 cm (1.61 in)

Hotels in Dar es Salaam

Images

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