Dar es Salaam City Tour - Everyday

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. Established in 1934 as a memorial museum dedicated to King George V, opened to the public as the National Museum in 1940 and expanded in 1963. The entry gate is located in Shaaban Robert Street; it houses many historical treasures the most important of which are the remains of the first humans “Paranthropus boisei” discovered by Dr. Louis Leakey at Olduvai Gorge. The museum also has a large colonial history section with Ethnographic displays include traditional crafts, head dresses, ornaments and musical instruments. Hunting and gathering, initiation rites, traditional healing and witchcraft are a few other themes; also on view are leather and bark clothing, and a wooden bicycle in working order.

   1 hAdmission included

2. Tingatinga Paintings are Tanzanian traditional paintings created using layers of bicycle paint representing physical features and landmarks drawn in a canvas material. Formerly they were locally drawn on Masonite and ceiling boards and later Canvases added using several layers of glossy enamel paint which turned its noticeable outlook brilliant, and very attractive representing local people’s activities, Landscape with its exotic animal. Bicycle paint is a good material to use on making clear, vibrant colored paintings that contain sharp contrasts and still gives the ability to work with shades surfaces. The name Tingatinga was derived from the founder of the painting style, a Tanzanian named Edward Said Tingatinga who passed away in 17th May 1972, he left behind his art flying his name to the world, a wife, two children (Daudi & Martina) and six painters who later taught many more other painters

   45 min

3. It is located at the center of a roundabout between Samora Avenue and Maktaba Street, unveiled in 1927 to honor the African Soldiers who fought in the first World War and to the memory of the Native African Troops who fought, to the carriers who were the feet and the hands of the army, and to all men who fought, served, died for the King and the Country in the East Africa in World War 1”. The former statue was unveiled in 1911 to celebrate the Germans victory in 1888, represented Major Herman Von Wissmann, a German explorer and soldier, who became Governor of German East Africa in 1895. British entered Dar es Salaam in 1916 and removed this statue along with those of Karl Peters and Otto von Bismarck.

   10 min

4. Tanzania has about 124 ethnic tribes in which the main 16 are chosen to represent all, by displaying their old ways of living before colonial and industrial revolution. Among the chosen tribes, each display their home structure with houses built by natural materials to show the old life reality, inside each house you will find some of the equipment used including cooking stoves, pots, bowls, water cooling pot, spears & arrows for hunting, defensive & protection. Each house include rooms divisions and allocation to the family members accordingly. At each house information are provided in a well printed and laminated paper to give visitors more details about the customs of their people, lifestyle, and equipment discovered & used before the modern world. To-date there are still tribes in the rural areas who lives one hundred percent in their old ways of life. Under the big tree at the museum yard, a general traditional tribal dance performances take place daily, whenever there is demand.

   1 hAdmission included

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 68 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5Dar city tour

  Had a great day seen Dar Es Salaam with my guide Mike. He knew a lot about the city and was happy to make up an itinerary as the day went on. I would highly recommend this tour.

  Garrett_SApril 2026via Viator

• 5great tour of Dar es Salaam!!

  Mike was an excellent guide who was kind and attentive to our interests and adjusted the tour to our interests. He was a very kind and intelligent person. We would highly recommend him to be our guide again and others would benefit from touring with him also. Easily 5*

  Craig_kFebruary 2026via Viator

• 5Fun and Educational Dar es Salaam City Tour

  I had a fantastic experience with Dove Adventure Tanzania on Dar es Salaam City Tour. Michael was an exceptional tour guide—knowledgeable and enthusiastic about sharing the history and attractions of Tanzania. He made the tour educational and enjoyable. I learned about the country's rich heritage while visiting amazing sites. Bryan, the driver, was excellent and kept everything smooth and safe. Michael also expertly navigated through heavy traffic ensuring I made it on time for my international flight. Highly recommend Dove Adventure Tanzania for anyone looking for a reliable and insightful tour experience!

  Aileen BAugust 2025via Tripadvisor

• 1They are cheating us. They took $500 from us.

  They are cheating us. They took $500 from us. We went on their tour. But they took $100 from my friend. After taking it, when we returned home and wanted the dollars, they did not give us back the dollars. And they took more. They took more. Everyone be careful. Everyone be careful.

  165reviewpJune 2025via Tripadvisor

• 5Informative and Enjoyable City Tour

  I booked the Dar es Salaam city tour. In the morning, I was picked up on time in the lobby of my hotel by the guide Chris. Everything went according to plan, and Chris shared a lot of interesting and insightful information about the city. We visited various museums and learned a lot about the local culture and history. Chris was very friendly, knowledgeable, and made the tour both fun and informative. Highly recommended!

  morrisluethiJune 2025via Tripadvisor

• 5Excellent Dar Es Salaam tour

  Michael was an excellent and knowledgeable guide. I saw a significant part of Dar ea salaam and learned a lot about the history and culture of the area. The fish market was my highlight

  stevenwJ9847YHFebruary 2025via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Dar es Salaam

• Its from-price is 50% below the median of the 14 city tours we list in Dar es Salaam.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 1 of 14.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's largest city and main port, a hot Swahili-coast city of markets, museums, beaches and ferries to Zanzibar.

Dar es Salaam, whose name comes from the Arabic for 'haven of peace', grew around a harbour on the Indian Ocean in the nineteenth century and is the commercial centre of Tanzania. Its waterfront has the Kivukoni fish market, where boats unload at dawn, and the colonial-era buildings of the centre include St Joseph's Cathedral, a Gothic church with a tall spire, and the Azania Front Lutheran Church.

See all 382 experiences in Dar es Salaam