Saadani National Park is set to introduce a special train service to ferry visitors from Dar es Salaam to the only national park in Tanzania located along the Indian Ocean coast.

The park’s management is currently in discussions with the Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) to implement this initiative, leveraging the existing railway line that connects Dar es Salaam to Tanga, Kilimanjaro, and Arusha while passing through the park.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, Prisca Elisia, Senior Conservation Officer and Head of Tourism at Saadani National Park, highlighted the park’s unique marine and terrestrial ecosystem, which is home to abundant wildlife and rich marine biodiversity.

"Saadani National Park is strategically positioned to capitalize on blue tourism due to its vast marine resources. For example, the Mafui Sandbank is an eye-catching picnic site along the Indian Ocean, offering breathtaking coastal scenery," she said.

To increase visitor numbers, Chief Conservation Officer Gladys Ng'umbi revealed that the park is also planning to construct a larger pier to facilitate water transport.

"We are initiating discussions with the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) to develop a docking facility that will allow vessels to bring tourists directly to the park via the Indian Ocean route," she stated.

Despite steady visitor numbers, Ng'umbi emphasized the need to maximize the park’s full potential. From July 2023 to June 2024, the park recorded 27,187 visitors, while in just six months (July 2024 - January 2025), 19,740 tourists had already visited.

To position Saadani as a prime tourism destination, the park is opening up large tracts of land for potential local and international investors.

"Our priority investments include tourist accommodations such as hotels and blue tourism ventures that align with the park’s unique coastal environment," Ng'umbi noted.

Additionally, ongoing infrastructure improvements aim to enhance the park’s capacity to meet international tourism standards.

Designated a national park in 2005, Saadani offers a rare blend of wildlife and beach tourism, where visitors can spot wild animals along the shoreline.

The park is also a key breeding site for the endangered Green Sea Turtle and the only protected mangrove forest in Tanzania’s national park system. Its coastal forests provide a sanctuary for rare Black and White Colobus Monkeys.

Visitors can enjoy savannah game drives, marine excursions, and pristine, unspoiled beaches, making Saadani a one-of-a-kind safari and beach destination in East Africa.