Dodoma is Tanzania’s capital city located right at the center of the country, allowing easy accessibility to all other regions of Tanzania. The history of the city shares a lot with construction of the Tanzania central railway in 1907 by Germans, and was announced to be the capital city by the government of Tanzania in 1970. Dodoma city hosts the House of Parliament, Dodoma Cathedral and the Muammar Gaddafi Mosque. The dry earth and sandy soil of the surrounding Dodoma region is perfect for wine growing and is home to a number of vineyards producing red and white varieties of Chenin Blanc, Shiraz, Cabernet and Sauvignon. Hang out at the ‘Mnadani’ Barbeque spot (Nyama Choma) every Saturday and enjoy the hospitality of the dominant “Gogo” culture.

Historically, Dodoma was a stopover on the overland caravan route that travelled from the Swahili Coast inland toward Lake Tanganyika. Early in the 20th century, the city became a major point on the Central Line railway, which carried agricultural crops for export to the harbor in Dar es Salaam. In recent times, the town’s economic base has declined in favor of the coastal city, but in the early days of Tanzanian independence, there was a popular political motion to move the entire government to the town in the southern highlands. These days, the government legislature meets in Dodoma, and divides its time between the inland city and Dar es Salaam on the coast.