Dar es Salaam which was earlier known as Mzizima is the largest city with a population of 2.8 million in Tanzania. It is also Africa’s richest city and regionally significant economic centre. The meaning of Dar es Salaam in Arabic is ‘House of Peace’. It is the third fastest city that is growing rapidly in Africa after Bamako and Lagos. In fact, this city is an administrative province in Tanzania and comprises of three local government administrative districts that is Kinondoni towards the north, Ilala which is in the center of the region and Temeke towards south. The city of Dar es Salaam lies on a huge natural harbour. The harbour is on Africa’s Eastern Indian Ocean coast.
You will find an airport to reach at this place which was named after this place as Dar es Salaam International Airport. The airport code is DAR and the number of terminals is two. The airport is situated at a distance of 12 kilometres from the southwest of Dar es Salaam. You won’t get any shuttle services in the airport but taxis are available at the airport that will provide you services between the two terminals. Terminal 1 serves for the general aviation and charter services whereas; Terminal 2 is for the international airlines as well as regional and scheduled flights.
You will get 23 nonstop flights on each week that departs from Dar es Salaam. The best flight from Dar es Salaam has a length of 4,661 miles and the international flights are more than 76 in number just for a week. The smallest commercial aircraft that fly’s out from Dar es Salaam is a L4T and has 21 seats along with this, 18 airlines are operating out of this city. The main aircraft flying out of this city is a 777 that has 365 seats. Dar es Salaam bonds with 23 cities nonstop and for short haul destinations this city holds 140 flights that depart for every single week.
You can fly at a cheap rate from this city. Few of the popular flights that operate its services to the city are:
Airfare operating from Chicago to Dar es Salaam,
Airfare operating from Los Angeles to Dar Es Salaam,
Airfare operating from New York to Dar Es Salaam,
Airfare operating from Atlanta to Dar Es Salaam,
And Airfare operating from Dallas-Fort Worth to Dar Es Salaam.
You can park your car at free of cost in front of Terminal 1. But if you park your car at Terminal 2, minimum fee will be charged. You can hire a car from Tanzania Rent a Car and Avis that will be available at the airport. Besides this, you can travel by bus as well. City buses are always available at the airport. Many of the hotels provide their own shuttle services for their guests. You can hire taxis from the airport to any destinations in the city you want but before moving ahead just fix an appropriate price as the taxis are not metered. For further help and guidance you can go to the information counter that is situated on the concourse of Terminal 2 and also one could be found in Terminal 1.
This airport provides all basic facilities like banks, ATMs, bureau de change, post office, restaurants, duty-paid and duty-free shops with few of the other gifts shops, lost and found desk in the arrivals lounge and also you will get facility of the travel agents who operates at the airport for you so that you can get all of the information related to the attractions of the city. Facilities like conference and business are also available. You have a conference room at the airport which was commonly used by the airport stakeholders just to host meetings, seminars and training. Conference and business facilities could also be found in the hotels of the town. In the airport, you will get a business lounge and secretarial services.
Not only this, facilities for disabled travellers are also available at the airport like wheelchairs. Services are provided for them by the Ground Handling Company. So you can contact them for any kind of assistance. You won’t get any hotels at the airport but hotels outside the airport or nearby it provides shuttle services to and from the airport. If you want to accommodate at the luxury brand hotels then Kempinski, Movenpick and Sun International will be served best to you.
About the climate of Dar es Salaam, it possess tropical climate due to the warm Indian Ocean and also as it lies close to the equator. For almost the entire year this city experience hot and humid weather. This city has two separate rainy seasons, one is the long rains that fall in the months of April and May and the other is the short rains that falls at the months of October and November.
Dar es Salaam has plenty of attractions which you can see and explore. Visit at the National Museum, Village Museum, Botanical Gardens and Nyumba Ya Sanaa which is Nyerere Cultural Centre. Besides these, Mwenge village, Coco Beach, Kigamboni, Seaport-Cruises and many worth visiting sites could be explored. There are many other sightseeing locations exist like chaotic city and Samora Avenue and also the Asian Quarter. You can enjoy and get sun soaked at the beaches in Dar es Salaam.
When the sunsets, do not go to your room and sleep but explore the nightlife that is wonderful. Bars, clubs and Live Music are always there to fulfill your interests. Hang on to the Cynics Café and Wine Bar, Slipway Pub, Garden Bistro, Q Bar, Kibo Bar, California Dreamers, Lions Club, Amana Club, Mango Garden and Vijana Social Club are few other places.
Well, when you start exploring this city do not forget to enjoy shopping as you have plenty of stuffs to buy for your loved ones. So experience shopping at Ilala Market, Kariakoo Market, Msasani Slipway Weekend Craft Market, Nyumba Ya Sanaa, Mwenge Carver’s Market, Mawazo Art Gallery and Tingatinga Centre. Explore this city and side by side try shopping here which will make your holidays awesome.
