You’ll not find large groups of animals in Saadani National Park like in you do the Serengeti. However, it’s the only place in Tanzania where you may encounter elephants walking on the beach.
Saadani National Park is one of the newest national parks in Tanzania and relatively small compared to other parks. Saadani National Park is located attractively on the shores of the Indian Ocean. Elephants and other wild animals roam the beaches, which are among the few remaining breeding grounds for green turtles on mainland Tanzania. The Wami River flowing through the park is flanked by mangrove trees and is the habitat of hippos, crocodiles and a high concentration of river birds.
Saadani National Park Locationn
How to get to Saadani National Park
Saadani is usually visited from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar, and there are scheduled flights connecting all three. The lodges in Saadani also organize road and boat transfers from Dar es Salaam on request.
Your entry point in Tanzania is usually Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) near Dar es Salaam. In most cases, your tour operator will pick you up from the airport and handle all further ground operations or domestic flights. Chartered flights from Arusha town, the base for the northern safari circuit, are also available.
When to Visit Saadani National Park
The best time for watching wildlife in Saadani is after the rains, in January and February, and from June to August, when there is still plenty of water on the plains and wildlife stays within the park. As a general bush/beach break destination Saadani is good to visit most of the year, except during the peak of the rains from April to May.
Be aware that below animals do live in Saadani, but take in consideration that they are hard to find. The experience is different from the Northern National parks with a very high population of animals.
Saadani National Park Knowledge Base
There are multiple activities and things to do in Tanzania that can be added to your safari including walking safaris. Here are some other activities which visitors can consider during their visit to Saadani NP:
- Walking tour: Walking in Saadani gives visitors an opportunity to explore the old Saadani village to see the remains of buildings that existed when this area was a bustling port trading ivory and slaves.
- Cultural tours: Discover the main ethnic tribes in the area (Waswahili, Wazigua and Wadoe) and learn about how the Wamangati, originally from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, send their cattle to Zanzibar on traditional dhows in order to make a living.
- Beach day: Enjoy a relaxing beach stay in Saadani NP. The beaches are clean and lined with palm trees and swimming is pleasant with the ocean’s temperatures usually reaching around 25°C. Maziwe reef can easily be reached by boat from anywhere along the Saadani coast.
- Geography: Located on the east coast of Tanzania, guests often combine trips to the stunning white beaches of Zanzibar.
- Weather: Day-time high temperatures range from 30C/86F to 34C/93F with the last of the rain falling in May.
- Best time to visit: The best time for watching wildlife in Saadani is after the rains, in January and February, and from June to August during the dry season, when there is still plenty of water on the plains and wildlife stays within the park.
- As a general bush/beach break destination Saadani is good to visit most of the year, except during the peak of the rains from April to May.
- Understanding the best time to visit Tanzania is useful as this impacts flight prices and availability.
- Health: Malaria is present in Saadani, visitors should seek medical advice from their doctor and consider antimalarial medication.
Entrance fee
Prices per day: USD $20 per adult.
Carrying a small amount of Tanzanian currency, the Tanzania Shilling (TZS) is recommended as back-up when paying for items where credit card facilities are unavailable. Visitors can also review further details on overall Tanzania safari prices here.
Regulations
Visitors must respect the rules of the park including the flora and fauna. Details will be provided at the park entrance gate.
There are a small number of accommodation options at Saadani NP where visitors can stay during their trip.
Lodges
- Saadani safari lodge
- Saadani river lodge
- Kisampa bush retreat
Lodges will typically have deluxe rooms, ensuite bathrooms, prepared dinners, excellent service and superb views across the surrounding landscape.
Newlyweds may also indulge on a Tanzania honeymoon safari or a luxury safari where they’ll receive a lot of extra pampering and top notch service at superb safari locations including Serengeti National Park, ensuring they feel all the love on a Tanzania safari.
Tented Camp/Other
- Tanganyika Coastal Campsite
- Simply Saadani Camp
- Kuro Maringo
Bars/restaurants/amenities: Lodges will typically have all meals and drinks included in the lodge package.
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Most common animals in Saadani National Park
Be aware that below animals do live in Saadani, but take in consideration that they are hard to find. The experience is different from the Northern National parks with a very high population of animals.
- Lions
- Cape buffaloes
- leopards
- African bush elephants
- hippos
- Masai giraffes
- Lichtenstein’s hartebeest
- Lesser Flamingo fish
- White-bearded monkeys
- Bohor reedbucks
- common waterbucks
- blue wildebeests
- common and red duikers
- Dik-Diks
- Yellow baboons
- Vervet and blue monkeys
- Colobus and White monkeys
- Mongooses
- Genets
- Porcupines
- Greater kudus and elands
- Sable antelopes
- Warthogs
- crocodiles
- Nile monitors lark
- Spotted hyenas
- Black-backed jackals
- Mangrove kingfisher
- Green turtles
Wildlife in Saadani National Park
Wildlife in Saadani national park includes four of the Big Five. Although it is very hard to spot them, because the numbers are low and the animals are usually hiding. Because this park is located next to the local villages and animals try to avoid interaction with local people. As they see them as their enemies.
You can also find a population of Masai giraffes. And you find Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, common waterbucks and bohor reedbucks, blue wildebeests, common and red duikers, Dik-Diks. Others are yellow baboons, vervet and blue sykes monkeys as well as Colobus and White-bearded emperor tamarin monkeys, mongooses, genets and porcupines. And also greater kudus, elands, sable antelopes, warthogs, hippos, crocodiles and nile monitors live in Saadani national park. African bush elephants, lions and leopards are a bit more shy here. But with a bit of luck you might spot them too! You can see herds of up to 30 elephants with increased frequency. And several lion prides are inhabitants, together with leopards, spotted hyenas and black-backed jackals.
Since 2005, the protected area is considered a Lion Conservation Unit. The Wami River is home to the beautiful mangrove kingfisher and lesser flamingo. And the beaches form one of the last major green turtle breeding sites on mainland Tanzania
Where to stay in Saadani National Park
Everyone deserves a relaxing shower and a comfy bed to sleep after exploring a Saadani National Park, enjoying the beach, or facing a crazy adventure in the mountains. It can be a luxury hotel, a cozy guesthouse, or a friendly hostel. It doesn’t matter what type of accommodation you choose, the important thing is that it matches your needs, desires, and pocket.
Booking the right accommodation can be easy and fun, but also rather challenging and tiring. We know that as we’ve been to all stages of searching, booking, and staying. Sometimes we successfully achieved our target (good shower and bed), others we missed it horribly (bed bugs and cold water). The positive outcome is that we’ve learned how to avoid pitfalls, and now it’s time to share our tips on how to book accommodation in Tanzania!
Regardless of your budget or your style of traveling, You book any hotel, hostel, camping site, or resort in Saadani. By doing so, you’ll avoid the risks of getting stressed during the booking process and, worse, staying in a bad place that can ruin your entire travel experience.