Dar es Salaam is a patchwork of past and contemporary cultures with Eastern, German and British influence – Eastern in the shops and Bazaars of India street, German in the almost Bavarian Railway station and the post telegraph offices, British in the legacy of flowers and gardens. It is fundamentally, however, a Swahili city. The first quality of the city that the visitor notices is the extreme friendliness of the people – beaming smiles enthusiastic conversation at the drop of a hat.
The word Dar es Salaam in Kiswahili for ‘Haven of Peace’. The city’s natural harbour and its central location on the coast made it a natural choice for a trading center. Sultan Majid bin Said of Zanzibar had planned to develop the harbour in 1866. German colonists revived the Sultan’s plan in 1887.
Dar es Salaam is the largest city, it is the political and economic capital of Tanzania. Located in a quiet bay off the Indian Ocean coast, the city has grown in economic importance to become a prosperous center of the entire East African region.
The city displays the many influences of its history. Its mixture of Arabic, Asian and European history gives a special atmosphere to surroundings, streets and life. A tour though the city to experience the true warmth and hospitality of the people of Dar es Salaam is a must!
