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Voykit pocket guide · Tanzania
Dar es Salaam
Give Dar 1–2 nights as a stopover or business base, not a beach holiday: use it for Kariakoo market, the waterfront and a Bongoyo Island day.
Dar es Salaam is Tanzania's largest city and main port, and most travellers pass through it between a flight and Zanzibar or the safari circuit. It is flat, hot and humid, with a Swahili, Arab and South Asian mix in the old centre and Kariakoo market. One or two nights covers the city; add a day for Bongoyo or Mbudya island, or use it as a base for Bagamoyo.
- Country
- Tanzania
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (drier, cooler)
- Avoid
- Mar–May (long rains), Dec–Feb (hot and humid)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- TZS
- Money
- Currency is the Tanzanian shilling (TZS). Tourism is still quoted in US dollars, but since 2025 the central bank requires local transactions to be priced and paid in shillings — check how your lodge bills; dollar notes older than 2013 or damaged are refused.
- Daily spend
- Budget TSh 60,000–110,000 excl. bed · Mid TSh 110,000–250,000 excl. bed · High TSh 250,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodacom, Airtel, Yas (Tigo) and Halotel sell SIMs at airports; registration takes fingerprints and a passport.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 112 · Fire 114
- Plugs
- Types D, G · 230 V · 50 Hz · UK three-pin is most common; some older round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Safari guide: About US$15–25 per vehicle per day from the group — check.; Kilimanjaro crew: About 10–15% of the climb price, shared per a published scale — check your operator's guide.; Camp staff box: About US$10 per guest per day.; Restaurant: 5–10% where no service charge.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; lodges provide filtered water.
- Toilets
- Western in hotels and lodges; long-drops at some gates and picnic sites; squat toilets at bus stops.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea | TSh 2,000–5,000 |
| Plate of pilau or chipsi mayai | TSh 5,000–12,000 |
| Bottle of water (1.5 L) | TSh 1,000–2,000 |
| Beer in a bar | TSh 3,000–6,000 |
| Dala-dala ride | TSh 400–1,000 |
| Taxi across the centre | TSh 15,000–30,000 |
| Zanzibar ferry, one way | about US$35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DAR · Julius Nyerere International Airport
- About 10 km (6.2 mi) west of the centre; taxi to town from TSh 30,000, more at night. Evening traffic can add an hour.About 6.2 mi (10 km) west of the centre; taxi to town from TSh 30,000, more at night. Evening traffic can add an hour.
Typical fares
- Airport → city centre, taxi
- from TSh 30,000, more at night
- Airport → Posta, dala-dala
- under TSh 1,000
- Zanzibar ferry, one way
- about US$35
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Central Dar is walkable but has few pavements. DART (BRT) buses run on dedicated lanes on the main corridors and are the fastest cheap option; dala-dala minibuses are cheaper still but slower and crowded. Taxis and ride-hailing are the easy fallback; agree the fare before you get in. No BRT station at the airport yet.
See and do
Known for
- Kariakoo market
- Waterfront and ferry to Zanzibar
- Bongoyo and Mbudya islands
- National Museum and Village Museum
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bongoyo Island | Boat from the Slipway, Msasani Peninsula | About 30 min by boat |
| Bagamoyo | Bus or dala-dala from Mwenge station along the coast road | 1.5–2 h from Mwenge |
| Mbudya Island | Boat from the Slipway or White Sands | About 30 min by boat |
| Zanzibar (Stone Town) | Ferry from the Zanzibar ferry terminal | About 2 h |
Sleep
- City centre (Posta, Kivukoni)
- Walk to the ferry, National Museum and waterfront; best for one night with bags.
- Msasani Peninsula
- Hotels, restaurants and embassies; quieter evenings, about 20 km (12 mi) from the city centre.Hotels, restaurants and embassies; quieter evenings, about 12 mi (20 km) from the city centre.
- Kariakoo
- Market district, cheap guesthouses; busy and basic, not for light sleepers.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | JamboJAM-bo |
| Thank you | Asantea-SAN-te |
| How much is it? | Bei gani?BAY GAH-nee |
| Where is the toilet? | Choo kiko wapi?CHO kee-ko WA-pee |
| I don't want it | Sitakisee-TAH-kee |
| Help | Nisaidienee-sah-EE-dee |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Shikamoo' to elders, a handshake and small talk first; avoid: Rushing straight to business
- Hands: Right hand for eating, giving and receiving; avoid: Using the left hand
- Dress on Zanzibar: Cover shoulders and knees in town; avoid: Beachwear in Stone Town
- Photos: Ask first; pay agreed fees in Maasai bomas; avoid: Photographing women on Zanzibar without asking
- Affection: Keep it private; avoid: Kissing in public, especially on Zanzibar
- Pace: 'Pole pole' — slow down; avoid: Showing anger in public
Scams and watch-outs
- Agree taxi fares before departure; airport and Ubungo stands charge the highest prices.
- Keep bags with you on buses and never leave valuables on an overhead shelf.
- Buy Zanzibar ferry tickets only at the official counter; touts sell fake tickets.
- Petty theft happens around Kariakoo and the ferry terminal; carry little and keep phones out of sight.
Dar is generally safe for visitors by day in the centre and Msasani, but petty theft, taxi overcharging and ferry-ticket scams are common; avoid walking alone at night and keep valuables out of sight.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Dar es Salaam yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kariakoo market
- Waterfront and ferry to Zanzibar
- Bongoyo and Mbudya islands
- National Museum and Village Museum
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Tanzania Railways Corporation: www.trc.co.tz
- Tanzania Immigration Department — visa: immigration.go.tz/index.php/requirements-for-visa
- Wikivoyage: Dar es Salaam, revision 5311178 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5311178
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Dar es Salaam
Kwa anwani hii, tafadhali
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies are in Dar es Salaam; check your country's listing for the address and hours.
Carry small shilling notes for dala-dala, market stalls and tips.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/dar-es-salaam). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.