SAADAN NATIONL PARK
This national park is located at the shores of the Indian ocean and Tanzania between the historical triangle of Bagamoyo, Pangani and Zanzibar. The national park covers an area of 1100 square kilometers and it’s the only sanctuary in Tanzanian that bordering the sea or ocean. Here, the climate is coastal, hot and humid. This national park is unique in a way that it offers both marine, flora and Fauna of the main land. Though offers cultural fascinating experiences
The national park habitat over 30 large mammals, birds and reptiles.
The national park was gazetted in 2005 and encompasses a preserved ecosystem including the former Saadani game reserve, the former Mwanja ranch area, Wami River and the Zaraninge forest. Before combining it into a national park, it was managed by World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) and their goal is to preserve the extremely high botanic diversity of one of the las coastal rain forest remaining in Tanzania
HISTORY OF SAADANI NATIONL PARK.
The Saadani village was once an important town harbor and a slave trading Centre in East Africa and by now it’s a small Swahili fishing village with over 800 people and purposely surviving on fishing and other neighborhood village does cultivation and mostly coconut.
During the coming of the Portuguese and Arabs domination, the region gained importance in 18th and 19TH centuries due a highly demand for Ivory and slaves and the towns of Pangani, Bagamoyo centers for slave trade and making them connecting to major market center of Zanzibar.
Bagamoyo’s and the Saadan’s caravan trade declined at the end of the 19th century while Dar es-salaam rose to be the most important trading center of the coastal trade region.
Commercial production along the coast, such as rice, sugar and copper which were exported to Zanzibar and the India and they disappeared during the German invasion. They were replaced by cash crops such as coffee, cotton, sisal for the European market. After the transfer of power from the Germany to British after the second world war, Kapok cashew estates and the cattle ranches were established in the Saadani area. Ruins of stone house still bear testimony to the former flourishing condition
The old German boma government house and several graves can be found in Saadani
Activities carried out at Saadani national park
Game drives
This activity is conducted from 6:30-18:30 and mostly the roads are easily accessed during the dry season.
The guided nature walks
The guided nature walks to the jungle this activity takes from1-3 hours and the preferred time to conduct the activity is from 06:30 to 10:00 in the morning though the evening nature walk is accepted with guides from 15:30 to 18:30 and the all the activities start with the guidelines to follow when moving in making.
Boat cruise at the river.
This activity is done in the warm water and the longest takes 2 hours. During the cruise, animal is seen like crocodiles, hippos and even predators which came on the river banks to take water.
Bird watching
This national park is one of the top destination for birders. the best place in Saadani national park is at Mangrove lined canopy of the Want River banks and the grassland some of the birds here, Crowned Eagle Bateleurs, Mangrove kingfisher, flamingoes, little bittern, lesser kestrel, lanner falcon, avid birders, and the African skimmer plus so many birds found in this national park
Swimming
The best way to relax your muscles after a long day hike is by immersing yourself in the cool water and the Indian ocean is there for you and its cool during the afternoon scotching sun, bathing is also fun view elephants come to drink water and this is so fascinating
Cultural experience,
Apart from the involved in fishing, visitors can explore the African fishing villages and learn how people survived and still surviving and their ways of living and here you will enjoy the traditional dances performances by the local people and you visit the cultural centers of Saadani
Canoeing
The best time to visit this national park is in the dry season when the vegetation is not very thick hence the clear views of the wildlife and the best time could be from July to September. Saadani National park can be accessed by either air or road transport. It’s about 4 hours’ drive from Dar es- Salaam
Accommodation
the accommodation facilities are all in well condition in both luxuries budget, and mid-range accommodation with best services, Zanzibar palace hotel, sea cliff resort spa hotel, Tanganyika coastal campsite, Saadani safari lodge simply Saadani camp, Mizingani seafront hotel and many others