How to get to Saadani National Park
The park is accessible by car via a 271- kilometer drive from Dar-es-Salaam to Mandela hamlet via Chalinze town. Drive 61 kilometers from Mandela to the Saadani park entrance gate on a bumpy road. Alternatively, you can take a daily public bus from Dar es Salaam / Bagamoyo and Saadani village to Tanga City and Mkwaja village. Flights (light aircrafts) to Mkwaja or Saadani airstrip can be scheduled from any area of the country, including Arusha, Zanzibar, Mwanza, Manyara, Dar-es-Salaam, and others.
Saadani can also be reached by boat from Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Pangani, Bagamoyo, and Zanzibar while traveling by sea.
There are two means of getting in to the park, either by using road transport or through air.
By road transport.
- When getting into a park from Dar es Salaam, you will drive along a good tarmac-road for about 3 hours covering 160 km through Chalinze to Mandera village and then connect to the Mvave Park Gate along a rough road covering 65 km. this will get you to the park’s head office. Or you can reach Saadani national park from Dar es Salaam via Bagamoyo.
- When coming from Tanga town drive through Pangani to the Mkwaja Gate along an earth road for 4-5 hours covering 120 km.
By Air.
There are charter flights connecting from Tanga, Dar es salaam, Arusha or even Zanzibar. Also, you can get to the area from a number of major towns.
2 ways to go to Saadani National Park
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Difference between fly and go by a car is km.
Saadani National Park FAQ's
The park is situated between Dar es Salaam (200 km, 4 hours) and Tanga (75km, 3 hours) and borders the mainland coast.
The Saadani National Park is home to a variable mix of both marine and mainland flora and fauna. The vegetation in the park is quite unique and includes mangrove forests around the winding Wami River and ocean, clumps of palm trees, coral reefs in the Indian Ocean, short and tall-grass savannah and the harsh black cotton plains.
In terms of wildlife, Saadani has a thriving population of waterbucks, wildebeests, hartebeests, reedbucks, buffaloes and giraffes. Warthogs, baboons and colobus monkeys are often spotted, while elephants, lions and leopards are quite shy. But even for ornithologists this place is truly spectacular. A boat safari on the Wami River is a true highlight for any visitor and apart from pods of hippos and huge crocodiles, malachite, pied and even giant kingfishers can also be seen. Other common birds include the woolly necked stork, common sand pipers, lilac-breasted rollers, palm nut vultures, fish eagles and ground hornbills.
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Saadani National Park covers 1100 km2. It is the only wildlife sanctuary in Tanzania bordering the sea. Wildlife includes four of the Big Five, namely lions, African bush elephants, Cape buffaloes, and leopards.
Day Trip To Saadani National Park by boat from Zanzibar island Tourists can view animals basking along the Indian Ocean shores. It is the only wildlife sanctuary in Tanzania bordering the sea.
Boat from Zanzibar
Explore Day Trip by boat is the only National park in Tanzania you can organize direct by boat from Zanzibar Island, this trip departs from Kendwa Beach Zanzibar.
Explore the Wami river, Zaraninge forest, and the Mkwaja ranch area. Arrange forest is one of the significant coastal rainforests existing in Tanzania.
The park boasts four of the African big five.
We will start our journey to Saadani National Park early in the morning. We will leave from Kendwa Beach Zanzibar Zanzibar at 6 AM, but it depends on sunrise time.
With a short up to two hours trip, we will reach the shore of Saadani National park. upon arrival, you will meet with our team for instruction and then we will have a game drive searching for animals.
After some time we will have lunch and again a game drive. At end of the tour, you will have some free time at the beach to relax before the trip back.
After landing in Zanzibar, we will take you safely to your hotel with good memories.
Day Trip To Saadani National Park Expectations
- Beach to relax
- Sunset Trip at Kendwa
- Boat Trips
- See Unique National Park
- African big five
Highlights
- Beach to relax
- Boat Trips
- Sunset Tour
- See Unique National Park
Animals like as giraffe, buffalo, warthog, common waterbuck, reedbuck, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, wildebeest, greater kudu, eland, yellow baboon, and vervet monkey are likely to be seen on a drive to view Saadani National Park. Elephant herds of up to 30 elephants have been spotted on occasion.
There is only one site in East Africa where the beach joins the jungle. It is none other than Tanzania’s Saadani National Park. The national park’s protected regions are bordered by magnificent sandy beaches with palm trees and spectacular views of the Indian Ocean’s turquoise sea. As a result, if you’re sunbathing on the beach, an elephant or other animal may pass by to drink water. Since the 1960s, this unusual location has been protected as a game reserve. It was later enlarged in 2002 to encompass twice the previous area.
Prior to the late 1990s, the reserve was heavily exploited by poachers, but in recent years, due to a stepped-up crackdown on poachers, the reserve has experienced a significant improvement. This area is currently thriving with beautiful green trees and is Tanzania Safari Tours’ most appealing destination.
| Distance: 271KM | Time: 4 Hrs |
Saadani National Park
Located in the centre of the historic triangle of Bagamoyo, Pangani and Zanzibar, Saadani National Park covers 1100km square. It is the only wildlife sanctuary in Tanzania bordering the sea. The climate is coastal, hot and humid. It offers a unique combination of both marine and mainland flora and fauna in a culturally fascinating setting.
Serengeti Trips Tanzania
Find all the transport options for your trip from Arusha to Ngorongoro Crater right here. We displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated fares from relevant transport operators, ensuring you can make an informed decision about which option will suit you best.
Lodges and Tented Camps in Saadani National Park
Saadani National Park
The history goes back in the 1960’s years when the area was known as Saadani game reserve and used as a hunting ground. In 2005 Saadani was upgraded into a national park level. The Saadani ecosystem includes the Mkwaja ranch area, Wami River as well as the Zaraninge Forest.
Saadani village once was an important harbour-town and slave trading centre in east Africa. Now it is a small Swahili fishing village with about 800 inhabitants whose livelihood is mostly fishing. Other villages adjacent to the park make their living through farming, mostly coconut growing.
After periods of Portuguese and Arab control, the region gained importance in 18th and 19th centuries following a rising international demand for ivory and slaves. The actual Saadani village emerged with towns like Bagamoyo and Pangani as new trading centers connecting Zanzibar with long-distance trade routes from Tabora. At the end of the 19th century, Bwana Heri bin Juma was ruling Saadani.
The man fought all Zanzibar attempts to occupy the town and defeated the sultan`s troops in 1882. In 1886 the German colony’s borders were established. Two years later, the coastal people organized resistance against the Germans under the joint leadership of Abushiri bin Salim al Harth and Bwana Heri. On 6th June 1889 Saadani was bombarded and taken by Germans. Bwana Heri being considered by the Germans as an honourable enemy, he was told to rebuild Saadani.
Saadani`s and Bagamoyo`s caravan trade declined at the end of the 19th century while Dar-es-salaam rose to be the most important trading centre of the coastal region. Commercial production along the coast, such as rice, sugar and copra, which were exported to Zanzibar and the Indian Ocean, disappeared after the German invasion. These were replaced by cash crops such as coffee, cotton and sisal for the European market. Following the transfer of the territory to the British after the First World War sisal, kapok, cashew estates and cattle ranches were established in the Saadani area. Ruins of stone houses still bear testimony to the former flourishing condition.
An old German boma (government house) and several graves can still be found in Saadani.
- Saadani is where the beach meets the bush. It is the only park in East Africa with Indian Ocean beachfront.
- Abundance of wildlife.
The park is famous for its elephant, lion, leopard giraffe, buffalo, warthog, common waterbuck, reedbuck, hartebeest, wildebeest, red duiker, greater kudu, eland, sable antelope, yellow baboon, vervet monkey, dolphin and green turtle.
- Clean beach in the Indian ocean.
Visiting Saadani National park will give you the best experience as you will get a chance to explore both Tanzanian safaris and white sand beaches at the same time and destination.
- Swahili culture.
During Saadani National park trip, you can also get a chance to visit the traditional Sadaani village and learn about the Swahili culture and language.
Birdwatching in Zaraninge forest.
Saadani National Park is a leading region for birdwatching. Many visitors will travel definitely for the opportunity to see certain species of bird or to enjoy the migratory birds.
Birds arrives from Europe between November and May. This overlaps with the warmest temperatures as they escape the cold of the north.
Some birds found in Saadani National park are such as African fish eagle Common Goliath heron, Common Lesser flamingo Common, Pel’s fishing-ow and Rare Purple heron.
Game drives.
Abundance of both marine and terrestrial flora and fauna makes it the perfect spot for the game drives. These activities are conducted early morning and in the afternoon.
During these you will see different animals such as zebras, buffaloes, elephants, warthogs, giraffes, wildebeests as well as waterbucks.
Also, animals such as hartebeests, the large-eyed Rondo Galago, the sable antelope, spotted hyena and Lions can be spotted in the area.
Guided nature walks/walking safaris.
Our nature walks will offer you a chance to come close to the gifts of Mother Nature. These walks are led by local guides and armed rangers who are aware and have knowledgeable about the area.
Boat trips on River wami.
On boat safari activities, you will come across with hippos and crocodiles plus numerous birds such flamingos, different sandpipers, Eurasian oystercatcher as well as the common greenshank.
Village visits/culture.
Saadani National Park will offer you a chance to visit the traditional Sadaani village and learn about the Swahili culture and language.
Mikumi is a year-round destination that can be explored at any point of the year. Still, for picking the best time to explore the region, months from June to October is the best time to explore the Mikumi national park. With low vegetation and limited water source, capturing the wildlife is quite easy. Low humidity, clear weather and pleasing weather condition with less rainfall is best for safari. If not the dry season, the month of September to October is preferred best to spot the giant hippos at the hippo pool. But the season can be busy with lots of travellers and cab lined up at the area. Being the calving season, you will not only see the wild, the newborn babies but the hunting and dramatic predator and prey relationship.
Saadani National park offers number of different accommodations to the visitors, Ranging from the budget, medium and luxury facilities.
Budget accommodations found in the Saadani National Park includes basic bandas, Campsites and rest -houses. An example of the campsite found in Saadani National park is s
This is another option of where to stay in Saadani National park, it has just eleven beautiful rooms all facing the stunning Indian Ocean and surrounded by a wildlife park.
Also, there are medium and luxury lodges found inside and outside of the park.
