Saadani Safari Lodge
Saadani N.P., East Coast & Dar, Tanzania
Reviewed by
Charlotte Bonsey
Saadani is East Africa's only park with sea frontage, so it's a unique opportunity to go game-watching and swimming the same day. And this lodge provides plenty of style in which to do it. Its 14 spacious cottages are hidden amongst the screw palms on a tranquil beach overlooking the Indian Ocean. The main building, grass-roofed and perched on stilts, houses a bar and restaurant with gorgeous views of the golden sands. Nearby, there’s a quirky ‘boat bar’ where we happily whiled away an afternoon, plus a gorgeous infinity swimming pool and a hidden treehouse overlooking the private waterhole - great for spotting reedbuck, baboon, giraffe, lion and buffalo.
Aside from safari drives, you can swim to one of the off-shore sand islands, take a walking tour to the local village with a knowledgeable guide or enjoy a boat trip along the sinuous Wami river to watch pods of hippo and basking crocodiles. There's a sociable atmosphere, especially at sunset when guests meet for cocktails and camp fires on the shore. Hop on a plane and in 20 minutes you can be in Zanzibar or Dar. It's an easy add-on, perfect for gentle game viewing in splendid isolation with a dose of beach - and without the long drives or the dusty crowds of inland circuits.
Aside from safari drives, you can swim to one of the off-shore sand islands, take a walking tour to the local village with a knowledgeable guide or enjoy a boat trip along the sinuous Wami river to watch pods of hippo and basking crocodiles. There's a sociable atmosphere, especially at sunset when guests meet for cocktails and camp fires on the shore. Hop on a plane and in 20 minutes you can be in Zanzibar or Dar. It's an easy add-on, perfect for gentle game viewing in splendid isolation with a dose of beach - and without the long drives or the dusty crowds of inland circuits.
Highs
- Right on a glorious 50km beach with few, if any, tourists
- Uniquely there are 3 different settings: river, bush and coast, which means plenty of a good variety of wildlife
- Spacious and comfy rooms in thatched suites which open directly onto the sandy beach
- Game drives, river safaris, walking safaris and the Saadani village tour are all included in the rates
- Social responsibility is high on the agenda, and Saadani helps fund many local projects (they will happily take you to visit them)
Lows
- Saadani Safari Lodge has undergone lots of changes since we last visited, so our review may not yet reflect the latest incarnation
- Saadani isn't perhaps in the top league of Tanzanian parks (although we still saw lions, hippos and kudu)
- In rainy periods, park roads can become muddy or impassable
- The sea is very shallow and you can't swim at all when the tide is out (but there is a lovely swimming pool)
- Flights from Dar or Zanzibar are pricey given the distance; but you could drive (about 3.5 hours)
Best time to go
June-Sept: the coolest time of the year and best for hippo and crocodile in the Wami river. Landscapes are green after the rains start to dry, opening up the grasslands for good game viewing. This is an ideal time for game driving and forest walks, and also for snorkelling as the sea is at its calmest.
Oct-Nov: Warmer temperatures and the end of the dry season mean that animals are increasingly attracted towards the lodge's waterhole. Buffalo are particularly visible at this time. Migratory birds start to arrive from the north and are at their most active. There are usually some light rains from late October - November, which bring flowers and a green hue to the parched landscape. But the sea can be choppy - not ideal for swimming.
Dec-March: The warmest time of year, when guests are invited to sleep under the stars in the cooling sea breeze. Swimming is at its best, and after short rains there is increasing activity around the waterholes. All the trees are in leaf and the environment is fertile.
April-May: April and May are monsoon season. Consequently, the lodge is closed and many tracks and roads become impassable.
Oct-Nov: Warmer temperatures and the end of the dry season mean that animals are increasingly attracted towards the lodge's waterhole. Buffalo are particularly visible at this time. Migratory birds start to arrive from the north and are at their most active. There are usually some light rains from late October - November, which bring flowers and a green hue to the parched landscape. But the sea can be choppy - not ideal for swimming.
Dec-March: The warmest time of year, when guests are invited to sleep under the stars in the cooling sea breeze. Swimming is at its best, and after short rains there is increasing activity around the waterholes. All the trees are in leaf and the environment is fertile.
April-May: April and May are monsoon season. Consequently, the lodge is closed and many tracks and roads become impassable.
Our top tips
Saadani National Park has over 1000 sq.km. of mixed terrain - coastal pine woods, mangrove swamps, open grasslands, riverine forests, saline flats and classic acacia-dominated savannah. It has very few visitors; most come on day trips out of Bagamoyo, and Saadani Safari Lodge is the only lodge within the park borders.
Wildlife includes large numbers of hippo, crocodile, giraffe, buffalo, warthog, zebra, gazelle, waterbuck, reedbuck, hartebeest, wildebeest, yellow baboons and vervet monkeys - at all times of year. Lions are making a comeback, with perhaps half a dozen prides around the lodge area; and leopard, spotted hyena and black-backed jackal are also seen. Less common species include greater kudu, eland, colobus monkey and the endangered Roosevelt's sable.
Birdlife includes lilac-breasted roller, weaver, grey hornbill, fork-tailed drongo, greenbul, sunbirds and various vultures and eagles; near the water you'll see yellow-billed stork, grey heron, little egret, sandpiper, flamingoes and kingfishers.
Wildlife includes large numbers of hippo, crocodile, giraffe, buffalo, warthog, zebra, gazelle, waterbuck, reedbuck, hartebeest, wildebeest, yellow baboons and vervet monkeys - at all times of year. Lions are making a comeback, with perhaps half a dozen prides around the lodge area; and leopard, spotted hyena and black-backed jackal are also seen. Less common species include greater kudu, eland, colobus monkey and the endangered Roosevelt's sable.
Birdlife includes lilac-breasted roller, weaver, grey hornbill, fork-tailed drongo, greenbul, sunbirds and various vultures and eagles; near the water you'll see yellow-billed stork, grey heron, little egret, sandpiper, flamingoes and kingfishers.