is mikumi national park worth visiting? Yes, it’s worthwhile to visit because the plains of Mikumi National Park resemble those of the Serengeti, and it’s also Tanzania’s fourth-largest national park. Despite being only a short distance from Dar es Salaam and the nearby National Parks, Mikumi is maintaining the region’s rich biodiversity and fauna. The national park, which is more than just a tourist destination, is the site of numerous conservation and research projects. The area may not be as well-known to tourists as other famous Tanzania Northern Safari Parks, but it is still worthwhile to visit due to its year-round pleasant weather and abundance of wildlife.
On the safari in Mikumi National Park, you have a fantastic opportunity to see buffalo, giraffes, wildebeest, elephants, zebras, and crocodiles, as well as endangered wild dogs and members of the cat family like lions and leopards. The cheetah, lion, elephant, buffalo, and rhino are known as the “big five,” and you can almost always expect to see them in their natural habitat. More than 400 bird species have been registered here, including the yellow-throated long-crested eagle, bateleur eagle, and lilac-breasted roller. The park offers business travelers and those looking for a quick getaway in Tanzania a comfortable and leisurely stay, despite not being very well known among foreign visitors. The few campgrounds and hotels that do exist offer an affordable and convenient way to stay in or near Mikumi National Park.
WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK?
Mikumi National Park is unique due to the presence of the largest and most powerful antelope in the world. The Mkata Floodplain in Mikumi-Tanzania may be the best place in the world to see the largest antelope and the strongest eland. Because of this, Mikumi National Park stands out from the rest of Tanzania’s national parks.
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK?
Mikumi National Park is a year-round destination, so you can go there whenever you like. The best time to visit the area is between early June and late October, when there is the least amount of vegetation and access to water, making it easy to photograph wildlife. The ideal weather for a Mikumi safari is low humidity, clear skies, and pleasant conditions with little precipitation. The months of September and October are the best for viewing the enormous hippos at the hippo pool. The season, however, can be hectic with lots of visitors and safari vehicles.
WHERE IS MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK LOCATED?
Mikumi National Park is easier to reach from Tanzania’s largest city, Dar es Salaam. There are 280 kilometers between it and Dar es Salaam. The park is located 107 kilometers from the town of Morogoro, in the heart of Tanzania’s well-known highlands. The largest national reserve in Africa, Nyerere National Park, which was formerly known as Selous Game Reserve, borders Mikumi National Park to the south. The Udzungwa, Uluguru, and Malundwe mountains border it in the northeast. The park is traversed by a hill belt that extends from east to west. The park also borders the Uvidunda Mountains in the west. The three-peak Malundwe Mountains, whose ridge runs from north to south, provide an incredible backdrop.
The park is traversed by the Dar es Salaam highway, which connects the city to other southern African countries and significant southern cities like Iringa. Due to the completion of this roadway, which increased accessibility, the majority of visitors can now access the park.
WHAT ANIMALS CAN YOU SEE AT MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK?
The ‘Big Five”—the buffalo, lion, elephant, leopard, and rhino—can all be found in Mikumi National Park. With such a diverse population of animals, this park is a great place to visit while on vacation in Tanzania. Hippos can be found in two mud pools, which is one of the attractions. They are five kilometers away from the main entrance gate. A cast of waterbirds that is constantly in motion supports them.
The Mkata Floodplain is a sizable area in Mikumi National Park that is great for viewing wildlife. From the flat tops of termite mounds or, sporadically during the rainy season, from high perches in the trees, lions keep watch over their grassy domain and the migrating herds of zebra, wildebeest, impala, and buffalo. The isolated acacia trees that line the Mkata River are the same shade islands that Mikumi’s elephants enjoy, and they are where giraffes forage. Eland sightings are most common in Tanzania’s Mkata Floodplain, which is also the natural habitat of the imposing eland, the largest antelope in the world. The miombo-covered foothills of the highlands that rise from Mikumi National Park are also home to the magnificent greater kudu and sable antelope, in addition to being covered in miombo.
BIRDS FOUND AT MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK
Mikumi is a fantastic location for bird watchers because it is home to more than 400 different bird species! Along the Mkata River, fishing open-billed storks can be seen in stunning fashion. Birds like Marabou storks, red-billed oxpecker, black-bellied bustards, Francolins, Cattle egrets, Guinea-fowl, hornbills, and Malachite Kingfishers are frequent visitors to Mikumi National Park. The most colorful species are the Lilac-breasted Roller, Bateleur Eagle, and Yellow-throated Long Claw. Immigrants from Europe frequently visit Mikumi National Park during the rainy season.
WHAT TO DO AT MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK
There are various activities you can do at Mikumi National Park, including the following:
Hike the Uluguru Mountains.
The Uluguru Mountains are next to Mikumi National Park, which is surrounded by lovely scenery. You can relax in the midst of nature or take a stroll along the paths made possible by the untamed yet lush trees thanks to the mountain range, which offers a beautiful and adventurous entrance. Hiking in the stunning Uluguru Mountains is another way to enjoy beauty while in Mikumi for wildlife viewing. Tourists who have traveled through Tanzania’s Morogoro region, which is en route to Mikumi National Park, are familiar with the peak’s fame.
Game Drives
A wildlife safari is the best thing to do in Mikumi National Park because the big five live there. The sparse vegetation and clear, calm skies elsewhere enhance the safari experience. As soon as you enter the national park, the buffalo, elephant, zebra, wild dogs, and wildebeest can all be seen in large numbers. A wonderful variety of rare and endangered fauna is being preserved.
Bird Watching
Another reason Mikumi National Park is well-liked is the abundant birdlife that the area’s natural ecosystem supports. The records include information on more than 400 bird species, including both migratory species that come during the season and endemic species unique to the region. The open grasslands and swamp regions with the hippo pool are the national park’s best habitats for water-based bird species. Both the African spoonbill and the African fish eagle are catchable.
Walking Safari
The guided walking excursions in Mikumi might be the best thing to do because they give you a chance to not only get up close to the local flora and fauna but also to learn about them. Explore the uncharted trails of the national park in search of wild dog packs, zebra and giraffe ambling through the plains, big cats dozing over the cliff, and hippos by the pools. Make sure you have a guide’s help to avoid danger and appreciate the diversity of the wild world.
Photography Safari
Mikumi National Park is a serene location with a lot of diversity. Along with the woodlands and the black hardwood trees, the baobabs’ greenery and the grassy plains’ beauty all add to the attractiveness of the background. This national park in Tanzania is now less crowded and less well-known than Tanzania’s other national parks, making it the ideal place for photographers to capture rare species and their ideal wild habitats. Whether it’s raining or not, the national park is always stunning, making it the ideal location for photographers.
A visit to a famous neighbor
You can plan a trip to nearby renowned cities and areas dedicated to wildlife conservation while visiting Mikumi National Park. It is easy to spend a day exploring Tanzania’s wildlife and urban life because Dar es Salaam is so close by. You can view Tanzania’s incredible wild side by visiting the Selous, Ruaha, and Udzungwa, which share boundaries with the national park. While spending your vacation at this national park, you can definitely plan a day trip to another location nearby.
IS TWO DAYS OF SAFARI ENOUGH FOR A SAFARI AT MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK?
The 2-day Mikumi National Park safari is one of the shorter safaris offered, aside from the day trip to Mikumi National Park. As a result, the 2-day Mikumi National Park Safari (leaving from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar) is brief but adequate to see the park’s wildlife and scenery. Furthermore, Mikumi Safari can offer luxurious and reasonably priced lodging options from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar.
HOW DO I ACCESS MIKUMI NATIONAL PARK?
All of Tanzania’s major cities have direct flights to Mikumi National Park, making it accessible by both air and road. Thanks to public and private transfers, you can travel to Mikumi National Park however suits you best.
The closest airports to Mikumi National Park are those in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar. International visitors can enter Tanzania and then fly in a private plane to the national park.
By land: the city of Dar es Salaam, or Morogoro; Udzungwa National Park; Ruaha National Park; and other parks and cities are all connected to the National Park by a respectable network of tarmac roads.
