Dar Es Salaam is the largest city in Tanzania and used to be its capital. A visit to Tanzania is incomplete without exploring this spectacular city. Bustling with life, this city is on the Swahili coast, and can easily be reached through any flight, which allows it to act as a gateway to many destinations in Tanzania. Here are the top five things that tourists must do on their trip to the beautiful city of Dar Es Salaam.
- Trek at Pugu Hills Forest Reserve
Tourists should go to this amazing reserve which is home to animals such as cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, elephants, jackals, galagos, hyenas, warthogs, pangolins, mongooses, colobuses, baboons, and impalas. Tourists who like trekking can walk up to the main destinations such as the local cattle market where they can explore the area and interact with locals, a cave that is held to be sacred by the Zaramo people who live in the region, and the great bat caves which are home to the Tanzanian woolly bat, Hildegarde’s tom bat, and horseshoe bat. The Pugu Hills Forest Reserve is one of the oldest forests in the world.
- Visit the Askari Monument
The Askari Monument is one of the most popular sites in Dar Es Salaam as it is a memorial monument for the askari soldiers who were part of world war I for the British army. The main attraction is the bronze statue of a soldier, with his gun pointing towards the harbour. The plaque has inscriptions in both Arabic and Swahili. This monument is located at the centre of a roundabout between Maktaba Street and Samora Avenue.
- Enjoy the delicious cuisine
Tourists must try the mouth watering street food, especially dishes like Uji (porridge), Kuku Paka (curry), Mandazi (doughnuts), and Muhogo (deep fried cassava). One of the best eateries is 305 Karafuu, a top rated restaurant that serves delicious food such as calamari, tuna, pasta, prawns, lamb, beef, chicken, steak, and lobster. Alternatively, visitors can choose the Fire Restaurant which offers local foods such as naan, chicken, and chapati. Other popular restaurants are Addis in Dar, and Mediterraneo, which offer seafood, pasta, pizza, and a variety of meat, and are known for their excellent taste and wonderful ambience!
- Visit the National Museum
Learning about the history, culture, and heritage of any location is essential for having an enriching and memorable trip. Hence, a vacation in Tanzania is incomplete without a visit to the National Museum in Dar Es Salaam. This location has beautiful grounds which are home to a sacred 100 year old fig tree. Exhibits include ancient relics and coins, ancient Chinese pottery, ethnographic collections on the indigenous cultures of Tanzania, a car that once belonged to King George V, old Tanzanian paintings and wood carvings, and cars like Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz, and Aston Martin which were used by Julius Nyerere, the first President of Tanzania. The Museum also provides the history of slaves, the Tanzanian government, and the Europeans explorers and colonizers. Not only do tourists learn vital information, they can also buy souvenirs and keepsakes from the museum’s gift shop!
- Enjoy a great shopping experience
Shopping and buying keepsakes and souvenirs is an essential element of any vacation. Mlimani City Mall, Slipway Shopping Centre, Mkuki House Shopping Mall, Shoppers Plaza, Aura Mall, and Quality Shopping Mall are some of the most famous shopping centres, which have international and local brands that offer electronics, accessories, toys, decorations, clothes, and books. Mlimani City Mall also has a cinema, and a food court with international fast food chains such as KFC, Subway, and Pizza Hut.
