Saadani National Park, Tanzania
This unique park on the east coast of Tanzania just 70km from Bagamoyo is a great place to visit for short safari if you're based in Dar es Salaam. In most instances it is includes together with the Selous and / or Ruaha to form a southern circuit safari.
Tanzania's most recent and smallest national park, Saadani covers an area of just 250 sq km from the Wami River in the south to the Milgazi River in the north, with the Moshi railway line as the western boundary. Whilst the game here is not as prolific as in other Tanzanian parks, Saadani has a magical atmosphere and the game viewing is respectable. Where else can you walk from beach and into the bush, it's a great place to start your holiday or relax after a longer safari.
In addition to conventional game drives there is the opportunity for bush walks and river safaris. Four of the 'Big Five' are present (no rhino here) and there are healthy populations of giraffe, reedbuck, waterbuck, eland, zebra, buffalo, warthog and smaller antelopes. The lion population is increasing and sightings are now commonplace.
A boat safari on the Wami River in the south of the park is a highlight of any visit. Here you will see hippos and large crocodiles basking on the sandbanks as well as black and white colobus monkeys. There is a small elephant population in north Mkwaja and in the Mligaji region, early morning safaris offer the best opportunity to see the elephants. Birdlife in Saadani is superb with coastal, riverine, grassland and woodland species in abundance. At Madete beach there is a green turtle nesting site.
On a rare occasion the early riser is rewarded with the strange sight of the parks elephant population coming down to play on the beach and the surf, a photographic opportunity not to be missed!