Dar es Salaam holidays

What was once a sleepy fishing village has now grown into an exciting city and one of Tanzania's most popular holiday hotspots. Having spent some time as the county's capital, Dar es Salaam now holds the coveted position of Tanzania's hub of commerce and culture, and lives up to the translation of its name, the 'Haven of Peace'. Among the traditional African, Arabic and Indian architecture and the modern tower-blocks, you'll find this city to be incredibly laid back and sedate. Blessed with sand-bleached beaches and boasting a wealth of attractions, there's plenty to see and do.

Package holidays to Dar es Salaam with Qatar Airways Holidays are a superb way to get to know a city where the welcome is as warm as the weather.

• For a dip into Tanzania’s historical and cultural past, pay a visit to the National Museum of Dar es Salaam. Here, you’ll find an eclectic range of exhibits, from fascinating fossils to fully-functioning bicycles fashioned completely from wood.
• Pugu Hills Nature Reserve is ideal for anyone with an interest in exploring the local wildlife. Located about 25km from the centre of the city, it’s a sprawling oasis of lush greenery, scored with hiking trails for walkers of all abilities. Watch flocks of flamboyantly coloured birds, or head into the park’s caves and see colonies of bats.
• While there are plenty of beaches in Dar es Salaam, they don’t get much more fun than Coco Beach. Fringed with palms and lapped by turquoise-blue waters, this is where the locals gather to have a bite at a snack-shack or listen to live ‘bongo flava’ – a form of music native to Tanzania.
• A trip to the Village Museum gives you the chance to explore traditional Tanzanian huts and learn about the tribes that inhabit this part of Africa.