Tent With A View

Tent With a View Safari Lodge at Saadani National Park is one of my favourite places in Tanzania! A fabulous beach lodge with large, luxury rooms, fabulous food and lovely people running it! It is set on miles of sandy untouched beaches. The pleasure of watching the sun rise over the Indian Ocean right from your verandah is never to be forgotten.  The beach here doesn’t have a pool or snorkelling, there are no nightclubs or beach boys trying to sell you things … and that is the beauty of the place.  Walk for miles along the sands or simply sit and listen to the gentle lapping of the waves and the wind in the palms. I don’t think there is anywhere else you could say you had stayed on a beach where elephants knocked down a coconut tree outside your room in the night!

Tent With a View safari company are based in Dar es Salaam and are pioneers when it comes to working with local communities and promoting conservation efforts in Southern Tanzania. They currently work with research projects from their base at this lodge in Saadani, conserving many species in particular elephants. Take a look at their website for information about the Elephant Project and how you can get involved.

Tent With a View is perfect for honeymoons, weekend getaways from Dar es Salaam, or as part of a longer Tanzania safari holiday. Here is a suggestion of a combination itinerary. The rooms (known as bandas) are set out along the peaceful beach, surrounded by palms and secluded in the undergrowth.  Sumptious large beds, comfy cushions and hammocks await you!  Tastefully decorated with vibrant local fabrics and colours but still blending into the bush, Tent With a View is a perfect example of ‘bush meets beach’. Africa and Indian Ocean all in one place! There are three suites and nine ‘bandas’, all raised on stilts to make the most of the ocean breezes. The Venus Suite has a sunken bath in the mangroves too, a perfect honeymoon hideaway.

The Roof of Saadani is the latest unique accommodation at Tent with a View Lodge. This viewing tower in Saadani and is 20 metres high with magnificent views to bush and sea.  It is located on the edge of the unique Saadani salt flat eco-system where many animals come, particularly in the evening to enjoy the protection of the wide open sands.  There are wonderful game viewing opportunities, particularly from the Crow’s Nest, in the early morning and late afternoon due to the animal’ daily arrival and departure. The Roof has a double ensuite bedroom & private bar & restaurant.

There are two restaurants both serving delicious menus with of course plenty of fresh seafood. You can also be served outside your room for special occasions!  The Beachside Restaurant has ocean views and breezes and a star gazer snug for evening drinks and watching the African night sky.  The Mangrove Restaurant at the other end of the property sits on the edge of the Mafui Creek and offers a fully stocked bar and beautiful surrounding birdlife.

Board basis explained: When you stay here you have a choice of  ‘full board’ which includes your accommodation and all meals or ‘all inclusive’ which includes accommodation, all meals, park fees and game viewing activities (drives, walks and boat safaris).  Drinks are paid locally.  There are a choice of half day game drives or full day which takes you down to the Wami River for a boat safari as well.  There are other options such as climbing the viewing platforms, canoeing on the creek and getting involved with the research projects. There is also a seasonal bush camp at the Wami River, ask me for details of including a night or two here as part of your safari to Saadani.

Saadani National Park is little visited and still little know – it’s a secret gem, so ask me about getting you there before the world wakes up and everyone wants to go!! The lodge works with TANAPA (parks boards) to improve the numbers of animals and the accessibility to the park. Mammals that you can currently expect to see during your safari in Saadani include giraffe, buffalo, elephant, leopard, lion, sable antelope, wildebeest, zebra, hartebeest, eland, reedbuck, greater kudu, warthog, hyena, civet, serval, mongoose, baboon, colobus monkey, hippo, crocodile, duiker and fabulous birdlife. The habitat here is a mix of acacia woodland and coastal thickets. There is also a large area of mangroves protected along the coast north of Wami river.  Dolphins can be seen offshore and whales pass through the Zanzibar channel (of the coast of Saadani).  There is a Green Turtle Project near the lodge at Madete Marine Reserve to protect these creatures and their eggs.

Tent with a View Saadani makes a great combination on your African Safari with their sister lodge in Selous Game Reserve, Sable Mountain Lodge and their lodge on the North East coast of Zanzibar, called The Zanzibari.  Special combination rates and packages are available, such as the Saadani-Selous Safari itinerary which includes both parks and the TAZARA train adventure to Selous Game Reserve!

Ask me to tailor make an African safari, holiday or honeymoon for you using Tent with a View safaris and their lodges.