Dar Es Salaam Destination Guide

The city centre of Dar es Salaam is quite chaotic. It centres around Samora Avenue and has shops, exchange bureaus and banks among other amenities. Around the city are a number of interesting museums, plus natural attractions such as beaches and botanical gardens.

Dar es Salaam is a bustling, chaotic and colourful city.

This Dar es Salaam Destination Guide features information about some of the key attractions of the city and surrounding areas. Various tours and activities are presented on our Dar es Salaam Tours page. Some of the major tourist attractions in Tanzania can be found by visiting our Tanzania Destination Guides page.

Dar es Salaam - Things to See & Do

The well-known fossil discoveries made by Leakey in Olduvai Gorge are displayed in this museum. The famous "Nutcracker Man" can also be seen here. Other exhibits depict the development of the slave trade, the German and British periods in the history of Tanzania and the various regional civilisations. The museum is located quite close to the Botanical Gardens.

National Museum
Shaaban Robert Street
Tel: (022) 212 2030

This is an open-air museum and is located 10km (6 miles) north of the city centre. The museum has an unusual collection of exhibits - 19 dwellings from all over Tanzania that have been authentically reconstructed to display the traditional lifestyles of the people. In the afternoons, you can also catch the traditional music and dance performances.

Village Museum
New Bagamayo Road at Makaburi Street
Tel: (022) 270 0437

These lovely gardens are a remnant of the German era in Tanzania. Beautiful palms and many types of ferns grow here. Majestic peacocks can be spotted walking around the gardens. The gardens offer a haven of peace and tranquillity in the midst of Dar es Salaam's chaotic city life.

Botanical Gardens
Samora Avenue
Free admission

This handicraft centre is the place to watch young artists at work, look at the display of their products and buy from their collections. Prices here are quite reasonable.  Carvings, etchings, jewellery, paintings, pottery and textiles are all available here. You could participate in their activities too. During the weekends, a bar and a small restaurant are operated and the centre also puts up traditional dance performances.

Nyerere Cultural Centre
Ohio Street
Tel: (022) 213 1727
Free admission

The Msasani Peninsula is situated to the north of the city centre. There is an attractive Msasani fishing village on its west. The village is believed to be the site where one of East Africa's oldest coastal Arabic settlements thrived. There are a series of 17^th century ruins further west. This site is believed to be Dar es Salaam's oldest graveyard.

There are beaches, lined with resorts, about 25km (16 miles) north of Dar es Salaam. These are very popular getaways from the city. A little away from the beaches, you can see the Kunduchi ruins. These ruins include a 16^th century mosque and 18^th and 19^th century Arabic graves. The coastline becomes more tropical to the south of the city. Just south of Kigamboni and near Gezaulole village, there are several good beaches.