Dar es Salaam Botanical Gardens

The Dar es Salaam Botanical Gardens is a shady garden laid out in the German colonial period on Samora Avenue at Garden Avenue in Posta Mpya, next to the National Museum in central Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Old trees, palms and flowering shrubs line the paths, and resident peacocks wander the lawns, giving the site a quiet atmosphere in contrast to the traffic of the surrounding city centre. The gardens are not large or elaborately planted, and visitors should expect a pleasant green space rather than a major horticultural collection. Benches under the trees make it a popular place for office workers on lunch breaks and for families, and the paths are easy to walk in 30 to 45 minutes. Photographers find the best subjects in the large mature trees, the palm-lined avenues and the peacocks, particularly in the cool of the morning when the light is softer and the birds are more active. Entry is free and the gardens are open during daylight hours daily. Because the site is adjacent to the National Museum, it combines naturally with a museum visit, and it is about eight minutes on foot from the Askari Monument. The garden is also close to St. Joseph's Cathedral and the Azania Front Lutheran Cathedral, so it can be slotted into a central walking itinerary. Mosquitoes can be present near shaded and damp corners, so repellent is advisable, especially at dusk. Visitors should avoid feeding the peacocks and keep belongings in view, as in any public park in the city centre.