Dar es Salaam
Today we depart from Zanzibar and hop on board a later ferry to carry us through to Dar es Salaam where we make our way back to our truck and campsite.
Previously ‘Mzizima’, Dar es Salaam is the biggest city in Tanzania, with a population of over 3.2 million. It is also the richest city in the country as well as a crucial economic centre. Even though Dar is not the official capital city of Tanzania, it is still the centre of the permanent central government and serves as the capital for the surrounding Dar es Salaam area. Albert Roscher of Hamburg was the first European to arrive in Mzizima in 1859, and in 1866 the city was given its current name by Sultan Seyyid Malid of Zanzibar. After Malid’s death in 1870, Dar began to rapidly deteriorate, but in 1887, it was revived when the German East Africa Company constructed a station in the city. The town developed due to its key role as the administrative and commercial centre of German East Africa, as well as the industrial growth that occurred when the Central Railway Line was established in the early 1900s.
Located within such close proximity to the Equator and inviting Indian Ocean, Dar es Salaam experiences a relatively tropical climate, with hot and humid temperatures during most of the year. Annual rainfall amounts to approximately 1,100 mm and, in an average year, the city experiences two separate rainy seasons. First there are ‘the long rains’ that fall during the April/May period, and secondly, ‘the short rains’ which fall during the months of October and November.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Kipepeo Camp
Facilities: Shared ablutions, hot showers, bar, water not drinkable
Route: Nungwi Beach to Stone town: +/- 60-70 kms; Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam by ferry
Travel Time: +/- 4-5 hours
