Saadani National Park
Tanzania's only national park on the Indian Ocean, where coastal bush meets the beach. Elephant, giraffe and buffalo live a short way inland, and green turtles nest on its quieter beaches.
- Best time
- All year. In the rains, November to December and March to May, some parts of the park can be inaccessible.
The park has about 8 km of sea front, and its undisturbed beaches are an important nesting site for green turtles. Inland are miombo woodland, open plains with scattered trees, and mangroves.
In the south the Wami River winds through mangrove forest, and boat trips there pass hippo, crocodile and many birds. Saadani village, inside the park, has ruins from its days as a 19th-century trading port.
The park is about 44 km north of Bagamoyo, and a flight from Zanzibar takes under 15 minutes.
Wildlife
- Elephant
- Giraffe
- Buffalo
- Lion
- Hippo
- Nile crocodile
- Green turtle