A newly created national park designed only since 2013, Saanane Island National Park comprises of only three small islets and its surrounding environment which cover roughly 2.18 sq km. Thus, it is the smallest national park both in Tanzania and East Africa.
Formerly, it was Saanane Island Game Reserve, but with the inclusion of Chankende Islands and parts of Lake Victoria, it gained the status of a national park. The park is named after Mzee Saanane Chawandi who was the owner of the island back then and founded a zoo to promote conservation education and interest in wildlife. The zoo also focused on creating a recreational center for the people of Mwanza Town, the nearest major city from the island.
Saanane Island offers an excellent place for game viewing, rock hiking, boat cruise, nature walking, picnics, bird watching, bush lunch, photography/filming, meditation, and sport fishing.
Wildlife:
Various animals were introduced and ferried to the island in between 1964 and 1966 as part of the conservation efforts. These include game animals like buffalos, dikโdiks, warthogs, bushbucks, elephants, wildebeests, zebras, and black rhinos which otherwise wouldnโt have been present on the island. Also there are many primate species which include velvet monkey, De-brazzaโs Monkey, colobus etc. Reptiles like crocodile, monitor lizard, agama lizard, leopard tortoise, and pythons are other residents.
More Mwanza Travel Ideas:
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Discover the best day trips from Mwanza or try one of the best tours Mwanza and nearby regions. If youโre here as a family, youโll find plenty of things to do in Mwanza with kids and find suitable accommodation such as Mwanza holiday apartments. Whether youโre looking for the best weekend breaks in Mwanza or planning a longer holiday in Tanzania, you can be sure youโll find all the information you need.
This safari starts in the morning after breakfast leave at the lodge in Mwanza town with packed lunch. Arrival at Saanane Island National park office near to Tilapia Hotel, just 5 minutes drive from town and 15 minutes walk Take a boat 15 minutes to the Island while taking a nice view of Mwanza city. Take a walking trip around the Island with armed guide until lunch time, but we expect to see Impala hard, Lizards, monitor Lizards, Rock hyrax, crocodile on the lake shore and different species of bird can be spotted in the park. After lunch time take a further walking while going to take a bout back to Mwanza arrive in town on evening for dinner and overnight.
