In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
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 west of the centre; taxi to town from TSh 30,000, more at night. Evening traffic can add an hour.About 6.2 mi 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
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 from the city centre.Hotels, restaurants and embassies; quieter evenings, about 12 mi 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.