About Saadani National Park
Saadani is where the beach meets the bush. It is the only park in East Africa with an Indian Ocean beachfront and the one place where those idle hours of sunbathing might be interrupted by an elephant strolling past, or animals coming to drink at the nearby waterhole. Also a sight to behold are the Swahili fishermen casting their nets at sunrise.
Size: 1100 km² / 424 mi²
Altitude: 3-75 m / 10-246 ft
Palm trees sway in a cooling oceanic breeze. White sand and blue water sparkle alluringly beneath the tropical sun. Traditional dhows sail slowly past, propelled by billowing white sails, while Swahili fishermen cast their nets below a brilliant red sunrise. Saadani is where the beach meets the bush. The only wildlife sanctuary in East Africa to boast an Indian Ocean beachfront, it possesses all the attributes that make Tanzania’s tropical coastline and islands so popular with European sun-worshipers. Yet it is also the one place where those idle hours of sunbathing might be interrupted by an elephant strolling past, or a lion coming to drink at the nearby waterhole!
Protected as a game reserve since the 1960s, in 2002 it was expanded to cover twice its former area. The reserve suffered greatly from poaching prior to the late 1990s, but recent years have seen a marked turnaround, due to a concerted clampdown on poachers, based on integrating adjacent villages into the conservation drive.
Today, a surprisingly wide range of grazers and primates is seen on game drives and walks, among them giraffe, buffalo, warthog, common Waterbuck, Reedbuck, Hartebeest, wildebeest, red Duiker, greater Kudu, eland, sable antelope, yellow baboon and velvet monkey. Herds of up to 30 elephants are encountered with increasing frequency, and several lion prides are resident, together with leopard, spotted hyena and black-backed jackal. Boat trips on the mangrove-lined Wami River come with a high chance of sighting hippos, crocodiles and a selection of marine and riverine birds, including the mangrove kingfisher and lesser flamingo, while the beaches form one of the last major green turtle breeding sites on mainland Tanzania.
What to do:
- Game drives and guided walks.
- Boat trips. Swimming. Visit Saadani fishing village, which lies within the reserve, where a collection of ruins pays testament to its 19th century heyday as a major trading port.
One of the best ways to enjoy Saadani National Park is a sunset cruise on the Wami River, which flows through the southern part of the National Park. The river is widely known by birders for its spectacular variety of birds, including flamingos and pelicans at the river mouth. Lazy hippos and crocodiles keep cool in the water or sleep on the sand banks. Large monitor lizards move through the undergrowth, and black and white colobus monkeys perform acrobatics in the trees overhead.
Pros and Cons
- A combination of beach and bush
- A perfect beach destination for people who prefer a bush environment to a typical beach holiday resort
- Closest game viewing destination to Zanzibar and connected by daily flights
- Guided walks and boat trips available
- Most of the major safari animals aren’t present or aren’t easily seen
- The wildlife viewing circuit is small
- Lack of wilderness appeal with human settlements all around
Wildlife
While not overly abundant, the wildlife in the park offers exciting encounters, combining a unique beach-and-bush experience. During game drives, visitors commonly spot elephants, giraffes, buffalo, warthogs, common waterbucks, reedbucks, hartebeests, wildebeests, yellow baboons, and vervet monkeys. Though lions and other predators roam the area, sightings are rare.
On boat trips, hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of water birds are frequent highlights. Saadani is home to some special wildlife, including the elusive red duiker, the endangered Roosevelt’s sable, and green turtles, which use the park as an important breeding site.
Scenery
The park’s scenic beauty is defined by its mix of mangroves, palm-lined beaches, and meandering watercourses fringed with lush riparian woodland. Within the park, open grasslands are dotted with acacia thickets, creating a diverse and picturesque landscape.
