Saadani

Preparing for a visit to Saadani National Park, north of Dar es Salaam, I had a real burst of excitement around the landscapes and outdoor activities that Tanzania will offer. Saadani isn’t a large National Park by Tanzanian standards, yet is reachable over a weekend, and revealed good wildlife-watching.

I enjoyed the trees full of African openbill storks, which are abundant here. On a late afternoon safari we clocked up buffalo, giraffe, waterbuck, ground hornbills, baboons, impala, hartebeest and zebra. As the sun disappeared we were treated to a glorious red sky with acacias silhouetted against it. A group of three gnarly old male buffaloes close to camp was frightened by the vehicle, and they created a tense cantankerous commotion as only old bachelor buffaloes can.

We stayed in this unique construction (watchtower?) in a quiet area of Saadani. It was pricy but worth it for the exclusivity of sleeping here alone, away from a busy lodge.