Wildlife in Saadani

Saadani isn’t a prime safari destination, but there is always some wildlife around. Commonly seen on drives are elephants, giraffes, buffalo, common waterbucks, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, wildebeests, yellow baboons, and vervet monkeys. Hippos, crocodiles, and a selection of waterbirds can be seen 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. Although Saadani National Park has been hit hard by poachers, wildlife numbers are increasing slowly. Animals you are likely to see on a game drive include giraffe, buffalo, common waterbuck, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, and yellow baboon. Also look out for bohor reedbuck, wildebeest, zebra, greater kudu, and eland. Big elephant herds roaming the savannah make for incredible sightings.

The Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

The park is open year-round, but the access roads are sometimes impassable during April and May. The best wildlife viewing is after the rains, in January and February, and from June to August, when there is still plenty of water on the plains and the wildlife stays within the park.