Experience the best of 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.
Read moreShow less
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.
The National Museum shows fossils from Olduvai Gorge, and the Village Museum has traditional houses from across the country. Kariakoo is the big market district. Coco Beach and the Msasani peninsula have seaside cafés, and boats cross to the sandy islands of Bongoyo and Mbudya. Bagamoyo, a former caravan and slave-trade port, lies to the north, and Zanzibar is about two hours by fast ferry.
Nyama choma, grilled goat or beef eaten with ugali, a stiff maize porridge, and mishkaki, skewers of marinated meat, are the city's evening food, while chipsi mayai, chips cooked in an omelette, is the street snack. Seafood is served with coconut rice and spiced tea. Heat and humidity last all year, with long rains in April and May.
- Free cancellation on 85% of experiences
- 4.9 across the top 20
Top experiences in Dar es Salaam
Special offers in Dar es Salaam
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
Walking and bike tours in Dar es Salaam
9
Free cancellation
Signature experiences in Dar es Salaam
Go beyond Dar es Salaam
![]()
Zanzibar City · 69 kmNakupenda Beach
![]()
Diani Beach · 283 kmKaya Kinondo Sacred Forest
![]()
Mombasa · 310 kmFort Jesus
![]()
Mombasa · 310 kmHaller Park
![]()
Moshi · 436 kmMateruni Waterfall
![]()
Moshi · 436 kmLake Chala
![]()
Arusha · 471 kmLake Manyara National Park
![]()
Arusha · 471 kmArusha Cultural Heritage Centre
![]()
Amboseli National Park · 508 kmObservation Hill
![]()
Nairobi · 668 kmNairobi National Park
![]()
Nairobi · 668 kmGiraffe Centre
![]()
Naivasha · 743 kmHell's Gate National Park
Questions about Dar es Salaam
- What is there to do in Dar es Salaam?
- We list 382 experiences in Dar es Salaam. The largest groups are day trips (58), city tours (14).
- What is the most popular experience in Dar es Salaam?
- By number of traveller reviews it is "1-Day Mikumi National Park Fly-In Safari from Zanzibar", rated 5.0 out of 5 from 407 reviews.
- How long do tours and tickets in Dar es Salaam take?
- The typical experience in Dar es Salaam lasts about 48 hours; the middle half run between 9 hours and 96 hours.
- Can I cancel a booking in Dar es Salaam?
- The operator lists free cancellation on 86% of the 382 experiences we hold for Dar es Salaam. The cut-off differs by experience and is shown on each product page before you choose a date.
Why book here
Compare before you buy
Every ticket, tour and pass we carry for a city, side by side on one page.
Free cancellation on most experiences
Where the operator offers it, the card says so before you click.
Real reviews, real photos
Ratings and reviews are collected from travellers by our booking partner and Tripadvisor; nobody pays for placement.
Secure checkout on our partner’s site
Card details are entered on our booking partner’s site, never on ours.