Dodoma Region · Tanzania
Dodoma travel guide
Dodoma is a city in Dodoma Region, Tanzania, home to about 214,000 people.
- Best months
- April to September
- Nearest airport
- DOD2 km · Dodoma Airport
- Currency
- TZSTanzanian shilling
- Time zone
- Africa/Dar es Salaam
- Language
- English, Swahili
About
About Dodoma
Dodoma (lit. 'It has sunk' in Gogo), officially Dodoma City (Jiji Kuu la Dodoma, in Swahili), is the capital city of Tanzania.
In 1973, Dodoma was designated the new political capital of Tanzania. New parliament buildings were erected and plans were drafted to shift all government ministry offices to Dodoma by the early 1980s. However, due to limited water supplies, other environmental factors, and cost, this proved difficult and the plan was all but forgotten for several decades. However under the presidency of John Magufuli, the government move has been stepped up. Most ministries have now moved to Dodoma (or are in the process of moving) and most government meetings now take place there.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Dodoma
See
- Bunge la Tanzania
- Ismaili Mosque
Do
- Lion Rock
- Excursions
- Swimming Pool
- Gym
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Dodoma to stay in
For those on a budget CCT church hostel, near the roundabout has clean double rooms, self-contained toilet, for TSh 15,000. Breakfast is included, but very basic. They do make an excellent omelet.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Dodoma
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Dodoma are April to September. November is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; January is the wettest, with about 140 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Dodoma: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Dodoma Airport (DOD), about 1.8 km from the city centre in a straight line.
Getting in
There are many daily buses from Dar es Salaam. Driving time is 7-8 hours with a stop in Morogoro. Shabiby buses leave from Ubungo and use luxury buses. Around 11AM, air-conditioned buses with more legroom leave from Dar and from Dodoma. There are also buses to and from Arusha via Kondoa to the north. The road is paved and travel time is around 8 hours. There are buses from Dodoma going to Mwanza which take around 8 hours a long a good new road. There are also buses to and from Iringa. Travel time is about 6 hours on a winding gravel road of varying quality.
Getting around
There are many minibuses (dala dala) in Dodoma and getting around is easy. Taxis are plentiful too and Bolt (formerly Taxify) now operates in the city. There are three bus stations: city, at a place called Jamatini; medium distance, at the Saba Saba bus stand, to moderate-distance places such as Mpwapwa and Mvumi. Long-distance busses leave from the main stand near the Parliament buildings. Some companies, e.g. Scandinavia, maintain their own bus stands. Another way to get around is by bike. There are several places in town which sell or rent (TSh 5,000/day) bikes.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
DOD · Dodoma Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Dodoma
Eat
Chef Asili provides Tanzanian food as well as European options such as steaks and pizzas. Prices are reasonable and the restaurant is popular with government officials and MPs. No alcohol and serves food only after sunset during Ramadan. New Dodoma Hotel has excellent European, Tanzanian, and Asian food. There is also a Chinese restaurant of excellent quality (the owners are Chinese). Meals begin around TSh 3000 at the snack bar and go up to TSh 12,000. Drinks start at TSh 2,000 for a Kilimanjaro domestic beer. VETA has good food, when they eventually bring it to you, but choice can be limited unless you are there during Parliament sessions. Prices are reasonable.
Drink
NK Disco operates on Friday nights and is popular with the younger set. A nice place to have a quiet drink and watch TV is at VETA. Dodoma Wine and Cheese Hut is a charming outdoor wine bar offering Dodoma made wine by the glass or by the bottle, as well as cheese plates and pizzas.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Dodoma: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Dodoma?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Dodoma are April to September. November is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; January is the wettest, with about 140 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Dodoma?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Dodoma Airport (DOD), about 1.8 km from the city centre in a straight line.
What currency is used in Dodoma?
Tanzanian shilling (TZS).
Nearby
Destinations near Dodoma
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.