Dar es Salaam Travel Risk — Elevated Risk (58/100)
Is Dar es Salaam safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Dar es Salaam scores 58/100 on our travel risk index (Elevated). The US State Department rates Tanzania Level 3 (Reconsider Travel, updated 31 Oct 2025); the UK FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country (updated 9 Oct 2026); Canada says: exercise a high degree of caution (with regional advisories). No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Official US advisory · Level 3
Reconsider Travel
This decision takes precedence over the analytical composite shown on this page.
Natural disasters (score 30)
Transport safety (score 70)
September 27, 2026
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 58 out of 100 (elevated risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is transport safety at 70/100; the lowest-rated category is natural disasters at 30/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Tanzania travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Dar es Salaam to visit in 2026?
Dar es Salaam is currently under a US State Department Level 3 Reconsider Travel advisory. That official decision takes precedence. The 58/100 elevated composite remains visible only as analytical context and must not be read as permission to disregard the advisory. The highest-rated risk category for Dar es Salaam is transport safety (70/100), and the lowest is natural disasters (30/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: security (77/100) and crime and scams (48/100).
A score of 58 is higher than the scores of 83% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 15, 2026
Dar es Salaam currently holds a baseline safety score of 58 out of 100 with a US State Department advisory level of 3, alongside ongoing regional drought alerts and a global CDC Level 1 dengue notice. Travelers should also be aware of recent transportation safety incidents, including a fatal bus and truck collision in Tanzania.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 05:44 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Transport safety (score 70/100): Use the safest available transit. For high-risk routes, prefer reputable carriers and avoid late-night driving.
- Crime (score 67/100): Use registered taxis or ride-share apps. Keep electronics out of sight in public transit. Read recent reviews for your specific neighborhood.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Dar es Salaam
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Exercise heightened caution even during daylight hours. Stick to primary thoroughfares, travel in groups where possible, and avoid navigating quiet residential side-streets alone.
Nighttime movement carries significant risk. Strictly avoid solo walking after dark; rely exclusively on hotel-arranged transportation or registered radiotaxis, and confirm destination security before leaving your accommodation.
Safety by Traveler Type in Dar es Salaam
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Solo travelers
Crime risk is elevated. Solo travelers should avoid quiet areas at night, keep a charged phone and offline map, and share a live location with someone.
Women traveling solo
General crime risk is elevated. Plan arrivals in daylight, avoid isolated areas, and prefer accommodation with 24h reception. We do not hold gender-specific incident data for Dar es Salaam, so also check the live official advisory above and local women-traveler communities.
Families with children
Health/disaster risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, identify hospitals near your accommodation, and check seasonal hazard (storm/heat/quake) before you book.
Older travelers
Health/transport risk is elevated. Confirm medical-evacuation cover, plan rest between transfers, and locate English-capable medical care on arrival.
Business travelers
Digital/money risk is elevated. Avoid public Wi-Fi for sensitive work, use a VPN, watch for card-skimming at ATMs, and carry minimal cash.
LGBTQ+ travelers
Local laws and social attitudes toward LGBTQ+ travelers vary widely by country and are not captured in our category scores. The official advisory/political indicators are elevated. Read your government LGBTQ+ travel guidance carefully and weigh trip purpose against current conditions.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | medium |
| Public transport | medium |
| Tourist scam risk | medium |
| Night safety | medium |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in Dar es Salaam
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Official travel advisory
Level 3 · Reconsider Travel
Tanzania - Level 3: Reconsider Travel
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Disaster alerts
Active Disaster Alerts
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Drought is on going in Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda ORANGE · country-wide · 2026-07-29
The Drought notification level is Orange.
-
Green forest fire notification in Tanzania GREEN · country-wide · 2026-10-14
On 07/10/2026, a forest fire started in Tanzania, until 15/10/2026.
-
Green forest fire notification in Tanzania GREEN · country-wide · 2026-10-13
On 11/10/2026, a forest fire started in Tanzania, until 15/10/2026.
-
Green forest fire notification in Tanzania GREEN · ~392 km away · 2026-10-12
On 02/10/2026, a forest fire started in Tanzania, until 12/10/2026.
-
Green forest fire notification in Tanzania GREEN · country-wide · 2026-10-10
On 27/09/2026, a forest fire started in Tanzania, until 12/10/2026.
“~N km away” = event centroid within ~500 km of this location; “country-wide” = a national/regional alert that may not be near this specific city. Source: GDACS · fetched 2026-10-16 05:44:18 UTC
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
| Tropical Cyclones | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Most flood events within 100 km of Dar es Salaam happened in March and November (2 of 2 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Tanzania travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Tanzania entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-15 19:24:31 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Dar es Salaam
The most weather-stable two-month window for Dar es Salaam is July–August, when typical daily temperatures run from about 23°C to 28°C and monthly rain averages 25 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include cyclone season in November–April. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Jul 30, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 5 embassies, 10 pharmacies and 2 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: Burhan Charitable Health Centre
- Hospital: D & B Laboratory
- Hospital: Dental Clinic German Lab
- Hospital: Ebrahim Haji Charitable Health Centre
- Hospital: Kariakoo Dispensary
- Hospital: Mnazi Mmoja Hospital
- Hospital: Nurbhai
- Hospital: Regency Medical Center
- Hospital: Shree Hindu Mandal Hospital
- Hospital: Shree Hindu Mandal Hospital
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Unnamed police
- Police: Mnazi mmoja police station
- Police: Mnazi Mmoja Police Station
- Police: Msimbazi Police
- Police: Police Post West Upanga
- Police: Polisi Usalama Barbarani Kanda Maalum
- Embassy: Embassy of Brazil
- Embassy: Embassy of Indonesia
- Embassy: International Labour Organisation(ILO)
- Embassy: Japan Embassy
- Embassy: Mozambique Embassy
- Pharmacy: Unnamed pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Amazon Pharmacy co.ltd
- Pharmacy: Apollo Medical Centre
- Pharmacy: Appeton
- Pharmacy: Dr Hassanal
- Pharmacy: Dyna Pharmacy (T) Ltd
- Pharmacy: Kadidhai
- Pharmacy: Kas Medics
- Pharmacy: Mdee Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Pathology labaratory
- Fire station: Unnamed fire station
- Fire station: Fire Station
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (Tanzania)
| Police | 112 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 114 |
| Fire | 115 |
| General | 112 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Medical access
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | medium |
| Emergency response | low |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | medium |
Travelers should prepare for health risks such as malaria while visiting Dar es Salaam. Medical infrastructure varies, and serious emergencies may require medical evacuation.
Common scam patterns
- Fake Tourist Police Badge Extortion. Individuals presenting counterfeit Tanzania Police Force or Tourist Police badges approach tourists near popular sites to extort money. Visitors should remain vigilant of unauthorized personnel demanding fines or checks. Tip: Ask for official identification and remain calm, or suggest going to a nearby police station if suspicious.
- Fake Safari Operators and Ferry Overcharging. Tourists encounter inflated or overpriced ferry tickets to Zanzibar and fraudulent safari operators, particularly around transit and market hubs like Kariakoo. Always verify ticket offices and tour agency credentials directly. Tip: Book excursions and transport through reputable providers or your hotel rather than random street agents.
- Airport and Street Taxi Scams. Travelers face overpriced taxi fares and related transport scams from Julius Nyerere Airport or when using unmarked taxis. It is recommended to use app-based ride services instead. Tip: Use app-based ride services like Uber or Bolt and always confirm the fare beforehand.
Area notes
- Oyster Bay. An upscale, leafy coastal enclave favored by diplomats and expatriates, making it an ideal and secure neighborhood for visitors.
- Kariakoo. East Africa's largest open-air market area, where visitors need to exercise extra caution due to crowds and reported fake safari operators.
Nearest embassies & consulates
Find your home country's diplomatic mission in Tanzania for consular support, lost passports, or citizen emergencies:
Run a personalized assessment for Dar es Salaam
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Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | 56 → 58 | elevated | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Aug 24, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 41 | moderate | Data update Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (round 2: Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + GPI + EPI references) |
Every editorial change to Dar es Salaam's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Dar es Salaam
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Dar es Salaam, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.