Bookstores in Dar es Salaam
Bookstores reward the browsers. Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam has 58 mapped right now. That's 58 bookshops mapped around Dar es Salaam, each with its own shelves and specialties. The used sections are where the real bargains hide.
This guide covers every bookstore we could verify in and around Dar es Salaam (within about 40 km), built from OpenStreetMap's community-maintained data. Names you'll run into include TPH Bookshop and Mlimani Bookshop, plus Lusa General Enterprises. If a bookshop's missing from Dar es Salaam's list, it probably just hasn't been mapped yet.
The Dar es Salaam bookstore lineup
58 mapped within about 40 km:
TPH Bookshop
Bookstore
TPH Bookshop — Bookstore, found on 24 Samora Avenue in Dar es Slaam. Also worth knowing about TPH Bookshop: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 08:30-17:30; it has a website with more detail.
24 Samora Avenue, Dar es Slaam
Hours: Mo-Sa 08:30-17:30
Mlimani Bookshop
Bookstore
Mlimani Bookshop — Bookstore.
Lusa General Enterprises
Bookstore
Lusa General Enterprises is Bookstore. Lusa General Enterprises also notes on the map: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
Phone: 0714751548
Mkuki & Nyota Publisher Ltd
Bookstore
Mkuki & Nyota Publisher Ltd is Bookstore on P.o Box 4246 - Dar es Salaam.
P.o Box 4246 - Dar es Salaam
New Salamanda Stationery & Bookshop
Bookstore
New Salamanda Stationery & Bookshop — Bookstore.
Stationery
Bookstore
Stationery is Bookstore.
Pass Stationary
Bookstore
Pass Stationary — Bookstore.
Musilim Books
Bookstore
Musilim Books is Bookstore.
Abuu
Bookstore
Abuu is Bookstore.
Ave Maria Catholic Bookshop
Bookstore
Ave Maria Catholic Bookshop is Bookstore.
Christian Bookshop
Bookstore
Christian Bookshop — Bookstore.
Malindi
Bookstore
Malindi is Bookstore on Nkurumah, Dar es Salaam.
Nkurumah, Dar es Salaam
DHL Stationary
Bookstore
DHL Stationary — Bookstore.
Graphic Designs
Bookstore
Graphic Designs — Bookstore.
Graphic
Bookstore
Graphic is Bookstore.
Nyambari Nyangwine Book Shop
Bookstore
Nyambari Nyangwine Book Shop — Bookstore.
Sam Bookshop
Bookstore
Sam Bookshop — Bookstore.
Islamic Bookshop
Bookstore
Islamic Bookshop is Bookstore.
Jambo Store (1990) Ltd
Bookstore
Jambo Store (1990) Ltd is Bookstore.
Gbl
Bookstore
Gbl — Bookstore.
Corods
Bookstore
Corods — Bookstore.
Furaha Bookshop
Bookstore
Furaha Bookshop — Bookstore.
Furaha Bookshop
Bookstore
Furaha Bookshop — Bookstore.
Mlimani Book Shop
Bookstore
Mlimani Book Shop is Bookstore.
Pesca
Bookstore
Pesca is Bookstore.
Marufuku Book Store
Bookstore
Marufuku Book Store — Bookstore.
Mwangaza
Bookstore
Mwangaza is Bookstore.
Star Statinary
Bookstore
Star Statinary — Bookstore.
Paudehe Book Store
Bookstore
Paudehe Book Store is Bookstore.
Meezen Book Store
Bookstore
Meezen Book Store is Bookstore on 46 Sikukuu.
46 Sikukuu
Mandia Book Shop
Bookstore
Mandia Book Shop is Bookstore.
Trinity Bookshop
Bookstore
Trinity Bookshop — Bookstore.
Maxy's Stationary
Bookstore
Maxy's Stationary — Bookstore.
Dada K. Stationary
Bookstore
Dada K. Stationary — Bookstore.
New World Game Stationary
Bookstore
New World Game Stationary is Bookstore.
Bovcon Bookshop
Bookstore
Bovcon Bookshop — Bookstore.
The General Book Sellers
Bookstore
The General Book Sellers — Bookstore, found on Nkrumah in Dar es Salaam. Also worth knowing about The General Book Sellers: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
Nkrumah, Dar es Salaam
Phone: +255 22 211 2190
Dar Es Salaam Bookshop
Bookstore
Dar Es Salaam Bookshop — Bookstore.
Dar es Salaam Book Shop
Bookstore
Dar es Salaam Book Shop — Bookstore.
Government Bookshop
Bookstore
Government Bookshop is Bookstore.
Niriba Stationary
Bookstore
Niriba Stationary is Bookstore. Niriba Stationary also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 08:00-18:00.
Hours: Mo-Sa 08:00-18:00
Christar Book Shop
Bookstore
Christar Book Shop — Bookstore on New Bagamoyo Road. Also worth knowing about Christar Book Shop: the map lists its hours as Mo-Su 09:00-21:00.
New Bagamoyo Road
Hours: Mo-Su 09:00-21:00
Ngota Stationary and Book Shop
Bookstore
Ngota Stationary and Book Shop — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about Ngota Stationary and Book Shop: the map lists its hours as Mo-Su 09:00-21:00.
Hours: Mo-Su 09:00-21:00
Christa Bookshop
Bookstore
Christa Bookshop is Bookstore. Christa Bookshop also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as 24/7.
Hours: 24/7
Tanganyik Stationery
Bookstore
Tanganyik Stationery is Bookstore. Tanganyik Stationery also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 09:00-20:00.
Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-20:00
Victory Secretarial Services
Bookstore
Victory Secretarial Services is Bookstore. Victory Secretarial Services also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00.
Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00
Happy Stationery
Bookstore
Happy Stationery is Bookstore. Happy Stationery also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00.
Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00
Jasmin Stationery
Bookstore
Jasmin Stationery — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about Jasmin Stationery: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00.
Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00
Mpanji Islamic Books Center
Bookstore
Mpanji Islamic Books Center is Bookstore. Mpanji Islamic Books Center also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Mo-Fr 08:00-18:00; Sa-Su 08:00-15:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
Hours: Mo-Fr 08:00-18:00; Sa-Su 08:00-15:00
Phone: 0714238730
Irene & Isaac Shop
Bookstore
Irene & Isaac Shop — Bookstore, found on Mwaikibaki in Dar es Salaam.
Mwaikibaki, Dar es Salaam
Angalican bookshop
Bookstore
Angalican bookshop is Bookstore.
Dar es Salaam
Naj Munisa Boking Office
Bookstore
Naj Munisa Boking Office is Bookstore.
Roman Catholic
Bookstore
Roman Catholic — Bookstore, found on Mchinga in Dar es Salaam.
Mchinga, Dar es Salaam
A Novel Idea
Bookstore
A Novel Idea — Bookstore. Also worth knowing about A Novel Idea: the map lists its hours as Mo-Su,PH 10:00-18:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
Hours: Mo-Su,PH 10:00-18:00
Phone: +255 22 260 1088
MAK Books & Brains
Bookstore
MAK Books & Brains is Bookstore.
Hassan Maajar Trust Charity Shop
Bookstore
Hassan Maajar Trust Charity Shop — Bookstore.
BayreBooks Store Tanzania
BookstoreRun by BayreBooks
Run by BayreBooks, BayreBooks Store Tanzania is Bookstore, found on Maktech Street in Dar es Salaam. Also worth knowing about BayreBooks Store Tanzania: the map lists its hours as Mo-Sa 08:00-18:00; a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
Maktech Street, Dar es Salaam, 14130
Hours: Mo-Sa 08:00-18:00
Phone: +255693690371
University Book Shop
Bookstore
University Book Shop is Bookstore on University Road, Dar es salaam.
University Road, Dar es salaam
What the map tells us about bookstores in Dar es Salaam
12 of the 58 list their opening hours on the map, which is genuinely useful — bookshops keep civilised hours, so the listed ones are usually reliable.
3 have websites listed. Worth a look for events — readings and signings get announced there first.
The Dar es Salaam bookstore crawl
Making a day of it in Dar es Salaam? Work this order: TPH Bookshop on 24 Samora Avenue, Mlimani Bookshop, Lusa General Enterprises, Mkuki & Nyota Publisher Ltd on P.o Box 4246 - Dar es Salaam, New Salamanda Stationery & Bookshop, Stationery, Pass Stationary, and Musilim Books. That's the bookstore crawl in one sensible loop, no backtracking. 50 more are listed below.
Bookstore tips for Dar es Salaam
A few things worth knowing before you work through Dar es Salaam's bookstores:
- Magazines and journals matter at TPH Bookshop. The little-magazine rack is where new writers appear first. Cheap, weird, and full of discoveries.
- Don't judge by the window display at Mlimani Bookshop. The front table is marketing. The back shelves are the shop's real taste. Walk the whole floor.
- Learn the remainders table. Publisher overstocks sold cheap. Great for gift buying — new books at used prices.
- Check the events board. Book clubs, writing groups, story times — bookshops are community centres that happen to sell books.
Good to know
We searched about 40 km around Dar es Salaam — that covers the town itself plus the surrounding communities you'd reasonably drive to. Listings come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by local volunteers, so a brand-new bookstore in Dar es Salaam can take a while to appear. If you spot one of the 58 that's closed, or a great bookstore we missed, the fix is to update the map itself — that's where this guide reads from.
We don't list prices — they change constantly and vary by edition. What we list is the where: real shops, verified by real mappers, in alphabetical order with no favourites.
If you run one of the 58 listed here and something's wrong — a closure, a move, new hours — the fix is the same: update the shop on OpenStreetMap and the correction flows through to this page on the next daily refresh.
Bookstore listings for Dar es Salaam: 58 mapped from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Photos from Wikimedia Commons contributors; individual photo credits appear in captions. Listing data was last refreshed automatically — verify hours before visiting.