Sea turtles have chosen the beaches of Tanzania a million years ago. They emerge from their nests in a small sand crater and make their way to the ocean.
This trip is full of danger from birds, crabs, and the hot sun. But every little hatchling needs to make the journey for their future life in the water. Though unfortunately, just a fraction of these that survive and reach the ocean will reach sexual maturity and breed. When the females are ready to lay eggs, they will come back to the very same place they were born.
As turtle nesting sites are quietly disappearing, every known site aims to secure the turtle population and protect the nests. That's one of the reasons for creating turtle focused eco-tourism in Tanzania with the aim to support turtle conservation.
For a visitor, this is an amazing opportunity to find out more about the life of sea turtles and see their first and the most important trip. Some of the best places to see sea turtle hatching in Tanzania can be found in Dar es Salaam, Mafia Island, or Pangani.
Generally, turtles nest year round on Tanzanian coast, but the peak nesting season falls on April–May. Two months later, turtles start to hatch, making June to August the best time to see the process.