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Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam (House of Peace in Arabic) was founded in 1862 by Sultan Seyyid Majid of Zanzibar on the site of the village of Mzizima.
Mzizima’s history dates back to the time when the Barawa people started to settle and cultivate the area around Mbwa Maji, Magogoni, Mjimwema, Gezaulole and Kibonde Maji Mbagara.
Present day Dar es Salaam’s origins have been influenced by a myriad of sultans, the Germans and the British. The city started as a fishing village in the mid 19th century, is now Tanzania’s largest city, and has become one of East Africa’s most important ports and trading centers.
With its great atmosphere, mix of African, Muslim, and South Asian influences, picturesque harbour, beaches, chaotic markets, and historic buildings, it is well worth extending your stay beyond the time between flights.
Dar es Salaam is Tanzania’s financial and political hub despite having lost its status as official capital to Dodoma in 1973.
Dar es Salaam is certainly not at the top of the list of places to see for most visitors to Tanzania. It’s often a necessary stop on their way to Zanzibar, the northern safari circuit, or home. That being said, Dar has its charm. Walks around the city center are a great way to get a feel for the culture and Kariakoo market can be an interesting place for the more adventurous. It can also be a good base for visiting some of the nearby sites such as Bagamoyo, Bongoyo and Mbudja Islands, as well as to learn to scuba dive or go deep sea fishing. For those looking for something more humanitarian, most international organizations are based in Dar and may be a good starting point if you wish to volunteer.
Tanzania’s main airport is in Dar es Salaam, Julius Nyerere International Airport - (IATA:DAR) (formerly known as Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere International Airport and Dar es Salaam International Airport).
The airport is 10 km from the city center and 20 km from the Msasani Peninsula. Most large hotels offer a pick-up and drop-off service upon request. A taxi from the airport to the city center should cost between 10,000TSh and 20,000TSh, but many will ask for as much as US$40. Prices will be higher at night. If you can’t get a decent price, walk to the main road and flag a taxi, it may be cheaper. Do not do this at night. Petrol is about US$1.50/liter and climbing, this in a country where people earn less than $1 a day. Fares may rise quickly. Daladalas are also available if you walk out to the main road. Look for those marked POSTA, which is the main Post Office in the city center. Hitchhiking is uncommon and most drivers will expect some form of payment from foreigners.
Warning: Getting back to the airport often entails a traffic nightmare, particularly around evening rush hour (which can last beyond 8PM). There is one particular intersection between downtown and the airport that is impossible to avoid and is often backed up for over an hour. Leave yourself a lot more time than you think reasonable for the trip; if you arrive too early for your flight’s check-in, there is a pleasant restaurant above the terminal that has okay food and good beer.
Dar es Salaam is served Internationally via:
Europe by:
Turkish Airlines (Istanbul-Ataturk), +90 212 444 0 849, 3 flights a week (Monday, Wednesday and Saturday) flights.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (Amsterdam), +255 22 213 9790, daily flights with a stopover in Kilimanjaro.
Swiss International Airlines (Zurich), +255 22 211 8870, 5 flights a week (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) with a stopover in Nairobi, Kenya.
Middle East and Asia by:
Emirates (Dubai), +255 22 211 6100, Daily flights.
Oman Air (Muscat), direct flights 3 times a week (Friday, Sunday and Wednesday)and 4 times week via Zanzibar (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday)
Qatar Airways (Doha), +255 22 284 2675, 1019, Julius Nyerere International Airport, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Daily flights.
Egypt Air (Cairo), +255 22 2136665, 4 flights a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday). Offers lowest fares out of Europe, Americas & Asia to Dar es Salaam via Cairo. A Star Alliance Member.
Africa by:
South African Airways (Johannesburg), +255 22 211 7044, Twice daily flights.
Ethiopian Airlines (Addis Ababa), +255 22 211 7063, Daily flights (except on Monday) with a stopover in Kilimanjaro.
Kenya Airways (Nairobi), +255 22 211 9376 (Dar) & +255 24 223 8355 (Zanzibar), 3 daily flights with some stopping in Kilimanjaro.
Air Malawi (Blantyre & Lilongwe), +255 22 212 7746 / 2043, 3 flights a week (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday)
Mozambique Airlines a.k.a. LAM – Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique, (Maputo), +255 22 213 4600, e-mail: [email protected], 3 flights a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday)
Zambezi Airlines - Zambia, (Lusaka), +255 22 2137422, 3 flights a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) between Lusaka-Zambia and Dar es Salaam.
Air Uganda, (Entebbe), +256 41 216 5555, 3 flights a week (Monday, Friday and Sunday) to Dar es Salaam, with flights to Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar also.
Comores Aviation, 3 flights a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday)
Air Malawi (Blantyre)
And Domestic Travel via:
(These airlines provide almost daily service to and from Dar es Salaam to all major cities including Arusha, Mwanza, Mbeya, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro and most national parks.)
Air Tanzania, +255 22 211 8411, [16], email: [email protected]. Also fly internationally to Johannesburg daily.
Air Viva, offers online booking. No need to re-confirm your reservation as they have an email-app which informs you about changes.
Bold Aviation, +255 75 465 4154, email: [email protected].
Precision Air, +255 22 212 1718, Along Nyerere/Pugu Road, P.O Box 70770, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, email: [email protected] or [email protected]. Internationally to Nairobi ,Comoros, Johannesburg and Entebbe
Coastal Aviation, +255 22 211 7959, P. O. Box 3052, 107 Upanga Road, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, email: [email protected]
ZanAir, +255 24 223 3670, P.O.Box 2113, Zanzibar, Tanzania, email: [email protected].
fastjet, +255 685 680533, email: [email protected]. Also fly internationally to Johannesburg three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays)