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Sanctuary Saadani Safari Lodge

Our rating

7/10

Price guide

Highlights

- Safari Camp on the beach
- Game Drives
- Snorkelling and sand island picnics
- Dhow ocean sailing

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Overview

Saadani National Park is the only wildlife sanctuary in Tanzania which has a coastal border, and as such is a rare opportunity to combine safari with beach from one location. The lodge is located on the southern border of the Saadani National Park overlooking the Indian Ocean. Wildlife includes genets, porcupines, civets, bushbuck, bush pig, yellow baboons and vervet monkeys. Deeper in the park the open grasslands offer possible sightings of herds of buffalo and elephants, zebra, giraffe, lion, shy leopard and mongoose. The ocean here is also rich in wildlife with good snorkelling and dolphins, green turtles and humpback whales in season.

The lodge operates in a ‘safari style’ with three meals a day and a variety of snacks and high tea. Seafood is the speciality with all produce sourced locally where possible, served in the restaurant, in the bush, on the beach and private dining on request. The main area includes a coffee lounge, library, restaurant, kitchen and two swimming pools.

There are only 15 rooms all backing onto the sandy beach with veranda overlooking the Saadani National Park. The nine Banda suites are the lead in category room with Zanzibar style furniture with cotton cloth ceilings and Makuti roof deck area over your private veranda with sunbeds and mattresses. The five Maridadi suites are on raised platforms with thatched roof, teak floors and additional outdoor shower. The Siri suite has a private bar and pool with private dining and sundowners on the small deck.

The Camp is run along safari lines, fully inclusive with three meals a day, snacks, high tea, laundry, Saadani airstrip transfers, national park fees and one shared scheduled lodge activity per day all included. The scheduled lodge activities include both Safari & Ocean activities meaning you can strike a nice balance and there is usually plenty of time to relax on the beach each day. Safari activities include game drives in open 4x4 vehicle into the national park, river cruises on the Wami River and guided bush and bird walks from the lodge. Heading out to the sea, there are visits to a deserted sand island for snorkelling (available March to December) and traditional dhow sailing cruises.

Saadani Safari Lodge accepts children of all ages but walking safaris are limited to those over 16 years at the discretion of management. The Mariadadi family suite is the best accommodation choice as the entire family will be under one roof but with the comfort of two rooms on either side of the private lounge area.

Suggested Itineraries for Sanctuary Saadani Safari Lodge

What customers are saying after travelling with Tourdust

Average Rating

based on 536 reviews

(5.00/5)

  • Trip was great and all the arrangements were excellent so thank you for all the help!

    Drivers and transfers were all good - on time and very good service on each trip.

    Accommodation was lovely - Douar Samra was amazing (weather could have been better but lovely regardless). Riad in Marrakesh was also great!

    All in all a great trip and we loved the variety of the mountains, Marrakesh and the coast.

    Thanks you once again!

    MissingHardeep S reviewing Boutique Marrakech & Atlas Mountains on 15 April 2024

  • I was also just about to email you to thank you and the team for arranging yet again, another wonderful experience.

    Mount Kenya was spectacular and wild - I think I prefer it to Kili in many ways. The entire support team was professional, friendly and all round fantastic in making sure that we were safe, well fed and well looked after. In particular, we would commend Peter the guide as well as Paul one of the porters who doubled-up as his deputy on summit day. Our route was often shrouded in mist and rain that rapidly gathered in the valleys and moorlands, and we were very impressed at how Peter managed to navigate us safely through all of that notwithstanding. In addition, we loved learning about the history of Mount Kenya from him in the evenings. And ofcourse, I was blown away by the lovely birthday surprise at the end complete with balloons and a delicious cake that had journeyed with us from day 1. One thing we might recommend because of the sudden change in weather (it would sometimes get extremely cold and wet) is for the equipment list to be a little bit more detailed in terms of its recommendations e.g. layers to be moisture-wicking, walking boots be waterproof, doubling up on socks to avoid blisters etc.

    El Karama is a beautiful conservancy and the lodge a true labour of love. Great hospitality in a relaxed environment. Delicious, fresh food. We enjoyed the drives, even if we didn't see much wildlife as the heavens opened on us for the last two outings. However, since it was very much geared towards families, I am not sure if I would stay again without kids. That said, I think it was perfect for a 3d/2n stay post mountain, and a much better choice than flying to the masai mara given the limited time we had.

    Our transits were smooth. Samuel the driver was always on time, drove safely and kept the vehicle clean.

    So it was a brilliant experience and one which I certainly will cherish for some time to come. It was great to work with you for a third time, and I certainly hope it won't be the last

    MissingJuhae C reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 01 March 2024

  • Thank you, we had an absolute wonderful time, and everything was well-planned and as described. Carla was crying on the day of our departure from Ants Nest, she didn’t want to go home and for it all to end, and when I asked how much longer she would want to stay, she responded “four weeks”

    MissingLars B reviewing Best of South Africa for Families on 01 March 2024

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