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Located on a massive harbor on the eastern coast of Indian Ocean, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania boasts an atmosphere of tranquility with enchanting beaches and lively neighborhoods. The city’s bustling harbor is the main port in Tanzania, and is home to the main international airport in Tanzania; Julius Nyerere International Airport - located about 13km from the city centre.

Getting to Dar es Salaam, and Tanzania in general, requires visitors from yellow fever infected areas to obtain yellow fever international certificate of vaccination. Exemptions are made for visitors arriving from non-endemic areas such as Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. The northwestern forest region of Tanzania is considered a high-risk area for yellow fever.

All visitors are also required to carry along with them Visas with the exception of citizens from several African and commonwealth countries. Some airlines may require visas before you board hence its important you get one from the Tanzanian Embassy or High Commission in that respective country. Though for citizens from some countries visas could be issued on arriving to any of the airports found within Tanzania or at the Kenyan/Tanzanian border.

The regional Hubs of Johannesburg, Nairobi & Addis Ababa can be used to access Dar es Salaam. Airports such as Kilimanjaro international airport and Dodoma airport in Tanzania can be used to connect flights to Dar es Salaam. To cater for visitors travelling from Tanzania from Kenya there is a ferry service provided.

Visitors to Dar es Salaam are advised that taxis moving passengers around the city have no meters and charge a standard fee per journey inside the city centre. As for ferries to Zanzibar, there is a choice of 4 boats- a hydrofoil, a catamaran and 2 ordinary ferry boats. Yellow fever vaccination certification is a must before boarding for Zanzibar. A port charge of USD 5 is added to the boat fare.

And like the rest of Tanzania, Dar es Salaam never really gets cold and light clothing is recommended. Average daily temperatures hover in the 30C range with October to March being the hottest period. Warmer clothing such as sweaters is however necessary to get you through the evenings and early mornings if you are heading for the highlands. Short sleeve shirts, shorts and trouser for men are sufficient and so are short sleeve blouses, slacks and skirts for the ladies.

Dar es Salaam has fair share of historical landmarks like the St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the White Father’s Mission House, the Botanical Gardens, the old State House and the National Museum that add to the value and pique visitor’s interest to visit the city centre. There is a Lutheran Church flaunted as the oldest building existing in the city, which only seems to showcase the rich Christian heritage of Tanzania that dates back 18th century when the first missionaries came to Tanzania.

Nearly all visitors to Dar es Salaam end up taking a southern Tanzania tour to Mikumi, Udzungwa, Ruaha and Selous game reserves - one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage sites in the country.