Tanzania's largest city and main port, a busy Indian Ocean gateway of markets, museums and Swahili street life
Dar es Salaam spreads along a natural harbour on the Indian Ocean, its skyline of glass towers rising behind fishing dhows, ferries and container ships. The name is usually translated from Arabic as 'abode of peace'. Although Dodoma is the official capital, Dar remains the country's commercial heart and main gateway, home to Julius Nyerere International Airport, the ferry terminal for Zanzibar and the start of the railway lines inland.
The city rewards those who give it time. The National Museum tells the story of Tanzania from early human ancestors to independence, the open-air Village Museum shows traditional houses from across the country, and the fish market at Kivukoni and the vast Kariakoo market are full of noise and colour. In the evening, locals head to the beaches and seafront of the Msasani peninsula to catch the breeze.
The city was founded in the 1860s by Sultan Majid bin Said of Zanzibar, who began building a new port and palace on the site of the fishing village of Mzizima and gave it its present name. In 1887 the German East Africa Company set up a station here. Dar es Salaam became the capital of German East Africa in 1891 and the starting point of the Central Line railway, and several German-era buildings, including St Joseph's Cathedral and the Lutheran Azania Front Church, still stand on the waterfront.
Under British rule after the First World War the city remained the capital of Tanganyika, and it was the capital of independent Tanzania from 1961. In 1973 the government decided to move the capital to Dodoma, but the transfer has taken decades and Dar es Salaam is still the country's commercial centre and the location of many government offices. Its population has grown rapidly, from around 4.4 million in 2012 to 5.4 million in 2022, and its port handles most of Tanzania's trade as well as goods for landlocked neighbours.
Dar es Salaam is a young, fast-growing city where Swahili is the everyday language and street life spills out of markets and bus stations. Daladalas and the city's bus rapid transit system carry commuters, bajajis (motor tricycles) weave through traffic, and food stalls sell chips mayai, grilled meat and fresh juice. Tingatinga painting, a colourful folk art style that began here, is sold in workshops and markets around the city.
A day in the city centre can start at Kivukoni fish market in the morning, when boats unload their catch and auctions are in full swing, before a walk along the harbour front past the colonial-era churches and the Askari Monument. The National Museum on Shaaban Robert Street is a short walk away and covers human evolution, history, ethnography and art. In the afternoon, take a taxi to the Village Museum on the road towards Bagamoyo to see traditional homesteads built in the styles of different Tanzanian communities.
Kariakoo is the place to experience the city's commercial energy, with traders selling everything from spices to electronics in streets around the central market. In the evening, the Msasani peninsula and Oyster Bay have beaches, restaurants and bars, and boats run from the Msasani Slipway to Bongoyo Island for a day of swimming and snorkelling.
The city is hot and humid year-round. The coolest and driest period is from June to October, which is the most comfortable time to explore. The long rains fall mainly from March to May and can cause flooding, and there are shorter rains in November and December. December to February is very hot but mostly dry.
Checked against the sources on 28 October 2026. Opening times and fees can change — confirm before you go.
General guidance from our specialists, not official information.
Zanzibar is a short ferry ride or flight away, and Mafia Island is reachable by air. Bongoyo and Mbudya islands lie just off the Msasani peninsula, and the historic town of Bagamoyo is to the north along the coast. The city is also the usual starting point for road, rail and air trips to Mikumi, Nyerere and Ruaha national parks.
An island of fishing villages, mangroves and coral reefs about 120 km south-east of Dar es Salaam, protected in large part by the Mafia Island Marine Park. It is known for diving and for whale sharks that stay in its waters for much of the year.
ExploreEstablished in 1964, Mikumi covers about 3,230 square kilometres between the Uluguru and Udzungwa mountains, with the open Mkata floodplain at its heart. Its position on the main highway west of Morogoro makes it the easiest park in southern Tanzania to reach by road, ideal for a short safari from Dar es Salaam.
ExploreCreated in 2019 from the northern part of the vast Selous Game Reserve, Nyerere National Park covers about 30,900 square kilometres of river, woodland and plain along the Rufiji River. It is known for boat safaris among hippos and crocodiles, guided walks and one of Africa's key strongholds for wild dogs.
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Tanzania · 10 nights5★ LodgeTanzania · 8 nights5★ LodgeTanzania · 5 nights5★ LodgeThis guide was researched from the sources below and reviewed by our team on 28 October 2026. Facts under “Verified information” link to the page they were checked on; travel tips are general guidance. Photos are credited on each image. The ambient recording’s author and licence are shown in the sound player.
