Saanane Island National Park: watch wild animals 10 minutes from Mwanza town

Facts Saanane Island National Park:

  • Founded in 2013
  • The only national park “within” a city and the smallest national park in East Africa
  • Various accommodation options of different categories in Mwanza town
  • Size: 2.18 km2 = 300 soccer fields

Best time to visit:

  • Possible at any time if it is not raining too heavily to be able to cross by boat.
Zebra Saanane Island Nationalpark
Victoria See von Saanane aus

Highlights Saanane Island National Park: 

  • Easy detour from Mwanza town possible
  • Exploring the park on foot

Getting here from Arusha: 

  • To Mwanza town depending on distance between 621 and 768 km = 1.5 days drive by safari car or bus (the shortest route is through the Serengeti, but entrance fees apply)
  • Alternatively by plane in 1 hour and then 10 minutes by boat to the park

The Saanane National Park, which is just over 2 km2 in size, comprises three small islands and is the smallest national park in the whole of East Africa. It is only a ten-minute boat ride from the city of Mwanza. The park is home to impalas, rock hyraxes, vervet monkeys and the Brazzamere cats, which are rare in Tanzania. You can also spot crocodiles, monitor lizards, turtles, pythons and various bird species while exploring Saanane Island National Park on foot.