Trains, Planes, Automobiles... Ferries & Wine - A Spontaneous Tanzania Adventure
- Zanzibar Luxury Properties
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
We usually share insights on real estate opportunities, regulations, and the purchase process in Zanzibar, but this time we’re mixing things up with something new. This spontaneous adventure gave us fascinating glimpses into Tanzanian life and mainland experiences — a great reminder that owning property in Zanzibar offers easy access to the mainland for unexpected weekend getaways like this one.
A Spontaneous Tanzania Adventure
With a busy period at work, we decided to skip our usual May low-season holiday to look after our neighbours’ cats (...we love these cats dearly). It proved to be the right decision workwise, allowing us to stay focused on our projects. A client trip to Dar es Salaam then presented the perfect opportunity to combine business with a spontaneous getaway. One of those “why not?” moments we’re so glad we seized.
The adventure began with an early morning flight from Zanzibar — a breezy 30-minute hop to Dar es Salaam. We picked up the free copy of The Fumba Times before boarding — the perfect read for the short flight. An article on the evolution of Tanzanian wines immediately caught our eye and planted a seed.
We checked into the Four Points by Sheraton Dar es Salaam, which proved to be an excellent base overall. After settling in we had our client meetings, followed by dinner at the hotel restaurant. The curry was outstanding (clearly the work of a high-quality Indian chef), and the beds were some of the most comfortable we’ve had in ages. The empty gym with free weights was a welcome bonus to help balance the indulgences.
The next day, after saying goodbye to our clients, we spent more time enjoying Dar before heading out for sunset drinks with some old friends at the bustling Dar Fish Market (formerly known as Cape Town Fish Market). Dinner at Lavant Lebanese Restaurant was excellent — Lebanese cuisine isn’t widely available on Zanzibar, so we always use visits to Dar as a chance to top up on the types of foods we miss from the island. Everything from the creamy hummus to the juicy shawarma hit the spot.
Energized by the evening and still thinking about that Fumba Times article, we made a last-minute decision to take the SGR train to the capital city Dodoma the next morning (Business Class return 240,000 TZS) to experience the homeland of Tanzanian wine.
Tanzania has done an impressive job with the infrastructure — both the funky modern Dar station and the beautiful, pristine Dodoma one set a high bar. The express service was efficient (just one stop, about 3 hours 15 minutes — compared to the usual 7 to 9 hours by car), the brand-new train was spotless and comfortable, and Business Class came with tea, coffee, juice, and a selection of snacks including samosas and cashews — a nice touch for the journey.
The real magic, though, was the journey itself. As we left the city, the landscape opened up into vast rolling hills and mountains (especially striking around Morogoro). Scenes like these left us eager to return for some hiking in the Morogoro hills, perhaps for a future blog post. Endless unpopulated bush and savannah stretched out, with occasional farms and small towns dotting the terrain. Approaching Dodoma, we passed through what felt like a forest of majestic baobab trees.
The sheer emptiness struck us deeply — people talk about the world being overpopulated but I'm not sure that's correct, here were huge stretches of vast rolling unpopulated land still belonging to nature, or waiting for thoughtful development.
We arrived in Dodoma and settled into Domiya Estate for around $100 per night. Note that Dodoma sits at a higher elevation, so it can get surprisingly cool this time of year — the train can also feel chilly, so we recommend packing layers or a light jacket just in case. Our room was fantastic — beautifully decorated, spotlessly clean, spacious, and wonderfully peaceful with excellent black-out curtains. That afternoon we enjoyed the lemon and herb coconut chicken at the estate restaurant, which beautifully echoed Zanzibar’s tropical flavors. We followed it with a relaxed one-hour wine tasting (we chose four wines; you can select from two to seven).
Wine tasting spread and ambiance at Domiya Estate
We love exploring wine regions around the world (Piemonte, Tuscany, Ribera del Duero, Alentejo, and more), so discovering a budding scene in Tanzania felt genuinely exciting. The tasting was nicely paired with cheeses, fruit, and biscuits. While Tanzanian wines might not suit every palate just yet, they’ve come a long way and continue to show real promise — especially the reds. They remind us most of warmer Portuguese styles, with bold, expressive noses and surprisingly smooth mouthfeels. Our standout favorite from the tasting was the Cetawico Ambassador (double filtered). We also particularly enjoyed the Alko Image red during our Dodoma visit — it’s one we regularly order in Zanzibar whenever we can find it.
Fun Dodoma Wine Facts:
Vineyards here often yield two harvests per year (typically March and August/September) thanks to the tropical climate — something quite unique compared to most traditional wine regions.
Tanzania is the second-largest wine producer in Sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa, with all commercial production centered in the Dodoma region.
Grapes were originally introduced by Catholic missionaries in the 1930s (initially for altar wines), and local varieties like Makutupora thrive in the sandy, low-humidity soils.
....and relax
We got to bed early that night, thanks in part to the excellent black-out curtains that ensured a solid sleep. We had to wake up at an ungodly hour to watch Scotland take on Haiti in the World Cup. It was the first time Scotland had qualified in 28 years, so there was no way we were missing it! The sheer joy when Scotland won made the early start completely worthwhile.
The next morning we enjoyed a fantastic breakfast at Domiya Estate — everything you could want was on offer: fresh yoghurt and fruit, sausages, bacon, eggs, beans, Italian cheese, pesto, a variety of juices, and much-needed strong coffee. Well fuelled, we then headed back to the pristine Dodoma station for the smooth SGR ride back to Dar.
After another smooth SGR ride back to Dar, we took the ferry to Zanzibar. The boat itself is excellent — clean, usually right on time, with rarely rough seas. Food and drinks on board are well priced and make the crossing even more enjoyable. It was the perfect relaxing close to our whirlwind adventure. A final taxi ride back to Kiwengwa completed our full “ Trains, Planes, Automobiles... Ferries & Wine ” tour.
What stood out throughout was how reliable and well-presented everything was — our flight, both SGR trains, our forever punctual taxi driver Mcha, and the ferry all ran on time, while the stations and airport were spotlessly clean and impeccably maintained.
Why This Spontaneous Trip Meant So Much
Tanzania has so much to offer — safaris, Kilimanjaro, stunning beaches, whale sharks around Mafia Island — and now it’s quietly building a wine scene too. This quick 24-hour detour reminded us how rewarding it is to mix business with spontaneous exploration. It was just the right amount of time to open our minds, get a real feel for the wines, and experience Dodoma without needing more than a weekend.
Zanzibar’s luxury properties remain our serene home base, but venturing inland added wonderful depth, contrast, and memorable stories. Highly recommended if you’re looking for something different.
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