Saadani national park

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Saadani national park – Overview

Saadani is where the beach meets the bush. It is the only park in East Africa with an Indian Ocean beachfront. It's 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.

Jan

Feb

March

Apr

May

Jun

July

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

: Best Time
January and February and June to August (Animals are attracted to water in the park)
: High Season
June to October (Park rarely gets crowded at any time)
: Low Season
April and May (Access roads might be impassable)
: Best Weather
June to September (Little rainfall)
: Worst Weather
March, April & May (Peak of Wet season)

***Pros & Cons ***

Combination of beach and bush

Perfect beach destination for people who prefer a bush environment to a typical beach holiday-resort

Closest wildlife viewing destination to Zanzibar, connected by daily flights

Guided walks and boat trips available

Most of the major safari animals aren't present or easily seen

The wildlife-viewing circuit is small

Lack of wilderness appeal with human settlements all around

Saadani National Park

Wildlife

Wildlife isn't abundant, and the park is more a beach destination within the bush. Commonly seen on drives are elephant, giraffe, buffalo, warthog, common waterbuck, reedbuck, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, wildebeest, yellow baboon and vervet monkey. Hippo, crocodile and a selection of waterbirds can be encountered on boat trips. Saadani's wildlife specials are the shy red duiker, the endangered Roosevelt's sable and green turtles, for which the park is a breeding site.

Scenery

Mangroves separate the idyllic palm-lined beaches, and the watercourses are fringed by woodland. The habitat inside the park is mostly grassland interspersed with acacia thickets. Part of the extensive Zaraninge coastal forest, a bio-diversity hotspot in Tanzania, is also located within the park boundaries.

Weather & Climate

Saadani's tropical climate is governed by a warm Dry season (June to September) and a hot, sticky Wet season (October to May). The drier months are distinguished by little, except sunny days. Things get a bit more varied when the rains begin. The landscape is teased by some showers before the precipitation diminishes for a few months. Then it starts to rain in earnest, though rarely for days at a time.

Best Time to Visit

The interlude between Saadani's two extended periods of rain (January and February), as well as the opening months of the Dry season (June and August), are the best times to come here. This is when animals use the water pooled on the plains to hydrate. The Wet season months are best to see migrating birdlife.