Dar es Salaam

Dar es Salaam is the largest city and former capital of Tanzania, one of the fastest growing cities in the world, and an important economic and cultural hub. The name Dar es Salaam means Haven of Peace in Arabic. The city was founded in 1862 by the Sultan of Zanzibar on the site of the fishing village Mzizima, and later became the capital of German East Africa and then British Tanganyika. The formal capital moved to Dodoma in 1974 but Dar remains the country's economic centre and the main gateway for international travellers heading to the southern parks, the coast and Zanzibar.

For most safari guests, Dar is a stop rather than a destination, but a well-chosen day here rewards the effort. The National Museum has excellent displays of the Olduvai Gorge fossils, the ethnography of Tanzania's peoples, and the story of the German and British colonial periods. The nearby Village Museum, a short taxi ride away, is an open-air museum of traditional houses from every region of the country. The Kariakoo market is one of the largest in East Africa and a full sensory immersion.

Across the harbour on Kigamboni peninsula, the mainland beaches of South Beach are quiet and pleasant, with a handful of lodges and beach clubs and a car ferry that leaves the city centre every twenty minutes. The city also has a small but interesting arts scene, with the Nafasi Art Space at the heart of the contemporary movement, and several galleries and craft cooperatives worth visiting.

As the launch point for scheduled flights to the southern parks (Selous, Ruaha, Katavi, Mahale, Mafia) and the daily fast ferry to Zanzibar, Dar is often unavoidable for southern circuit itineraries. A one-night stay with a half-day city tour is an easy and rewarding addition to any trip.