Dar es Salaam

Highlights

• The National Museum and the Village Museum for Tanzanian history and regional architecture
• Kivukoni fish market in the early morning, when the boats come in
• The Kigamboni peninsula and the beaches just north of the city for a half-day escape
• Ferries to Zanzibar, which is why most people are here in the first place
• A genuinely good seafood scene, best along the coast road

Getting around

• Julius Nyerere International serves the city and connects to the southern parks by light aircraft.
• Ride-hailing apps work well and are the simplest option.
• Traffic is heavy — allow substantially more time than distances suggest.
• The Zanzibar ferry leaves from the port in the city centre.

Good to know

• One to three days. It is a transit city for most itineraries and there is no shame in treating it as one.
• Book Zanzibar ferry tickets from official counters rather than from people approaching you outside.
• It is hot and humid year-round — plan indoor or coastal activities for the middle of the day.
• The northern beaches are a straightforward half-day if you have time to fill.

Usual city precautions — avoid displaying phones and valuables, use ride-hailing rather than street taxis after dark, and buy ferry tickets only from official counters.