📍 Kaloleni, Arusha, Tanzania

Saadani National Park

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A giraffe mother and calf in Saadani National Park
Coastal Circuit · Beach & Bush

The Only Park on the Indian Ocean

Saadani is the one place in East Africa where a proper safari park runs straight into the sea. Elephants walk the beach, and green turtles nest on the same sand. Roughly 1,100 km² of coastal savannah, palm groves, mangrove and river sit between Dar es Salaam and Tanga.

The Wami River is the highlight — a boat trip upstream produces hippo, crocodile, colobus and a dense concentration of waterbirds, ending where the river meets the ocean.

  • Game drives and beach in the same morning
  • Wami River boat safaris for hippo and crocodile
  • Green turtle nesting beaches
  • Endangered Roosevelt's sable antelope
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Good to Know

Saadani at a Glance

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Best Time to Visit

January to February and June to August; parts of the park close during the long rains.

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Size

Around 1,100 km² of savannah, mangrove and 20 km of protected coastline.

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Turtles

Green turtles nest on the park's beaches, with hatchings watched over by park rangers.

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Getting There

Roughly 4 hours by road from Dar es Salaam, or a short charter flight to the airstrip.

Wildlife You May Spot
ElephantGiraffeBuffaloRoosevelt's SableLionHippoCrocodileGreen TurtleColobus MonkeyWaterbuck
Things to Do

Bush in the Morning, Beach After Lunch

Days here split neatly: an early game drive or river boat trip, then the afternoon on an empty stretch of Indian Ocean beach.

  • Wami River boat safari
  • Game drives across the coastal savannah
  • Walking safaris with an armed ranger
  • Turtle nesting visits in season and dhow trips to Saadani village
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Indian Ocean shoreline on the Saadani coast

Safari With Sand Between Your Toes

A short, easy add-on between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. Ask us to slot it in.

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