Mikumi National Park
Mikumi National Park is a very rewarding Tanzania safari destination and listed among the best Tanzania game viewing destination to visit on a Tanzania tour, Mikumi national park is the most accessible national park in Tanzania lieing in a distance of 288 kilometers west of Dar es Salaam and 107 kilometers from Morogoro town and accessed using a highway which transverses through the park 50 kilometers from Dar es Salaam to Iringa in Southern Tanzania.
The park geographically borders Selous game reserve, Udzungwa Mountains national park and Uluguru Mountains, Mikumi national park covers an area of 3,230 square kilometers making the park the 4th largest national park in Tanzania. The park comprises Malundwe Mountains the highest belt of hills running east and west through the park, this mountain also connects Uluguru Mountains to the northeast with Uvidunda and Udzungwa mountains to the west. The magnificent Malundwe Mountain consists of 3 peaks along the ridge running north and south, the south peak of this mountain is the highest point of the park standing at the elevation of 1290 meters.
The park is dominated by various vegetation covers including Miombo woodlands, swamps, open grasslands and riverine forests which a huge concentration of wildlife of various species and bird species. Animals in Mikumi national park include wild dogs, elephants, giraffes, hartebeests, zebras, leopards, lions, impalas, sable antelopes, warthogs, waterbucks, wildebeests, reedbuck, yellow baboons, crocodiles, hippos and many more. Birdlife in Mikumi national park is recorded to be over 400 species making the park a fine destination for Tanzania birding safari, birds in this park include African hawk eagle, African grey hornbill, African open bill, Cardinal woodpecker, Green wood-hoopoe, Long-tailed fiscal, Malachite kingfisher, Mariqua sunbird, Northern carmine bee-eater, Northern pied babbler, Pale batis, Pale-billed hornbill, Red-billed Oxpecker, Shelley’s sunbird, Southern ground hornbill, Purple-crested turaco, Yellow-throated longclaw and many more
Things to do in Mikumi national park
Game viewing
The park is an excellent destination for Tanzania game viewing safari, this amazing national park is a home to various species of mammals sighted on game viewing safari. Game viewing in Mikumi national park is done on various circuits running through the park and it is best done around Mkata flood plain and hippo pools, on n game drive safari expect amazing sights of such as hippos, buffaloes, elephants, zebras, giraffes, warthogs, lions, leopards, spotted hyena, Liechtenstein’s hartebeest, yellow baboon and many more.
Bird watching
The part is a birding haven ideal for Tanzania bird watching safaris, the park is a home to over 400 bird species recorded to be living in the park, while on a bird watching safari in Mikumi national park look out for many beautiful bird species such as African hawk eagle, African grey hornbill, African open bill, Cardinal woodpecker, Green wood-hoopoe, Long-tailed fiscal, Malachite kingfisher, Mariqua sunbird, Northern carmine bee-eater, Northern pied babbler, Pale batis, Pale-billed hornbill, Red-billed Oxpecker, Shelley’s sunbird, Southern ground hornbill, Purple-crested turaco, Yellow-throated longclaw and many more
Walking safaris
The park offers amazing Tanzania walking safaris through the beautiful nature and landscape of the park, walking safaris are done on foot with a guidance of an armed ranger guide for safety purposes and conducted on 3 walk trails that are Vuma hills trail, Kikoboga trail and Mikumi Wildlife lode trail. As you walk through the savannah grasslands of the park tourists enjoy viewing animals such as zebras, giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, hippos, warthogs and many birds such as malachite kingfishers, yellow-throated longclaw, lilac-breasted rollers and many more.
Picnic and camping
Picnic and camping safaris are amazing experiences offered in Mikumi national park, picnic safaris are offered in in 3 picnic sites that are Mbuyuni, Millennium and Mwanambogo. Picnics in Mikumi national park are very exciting experience where you get to enjoy your delicious meals with beautiful nature, for picnics food is brought into the park packed in Launch boxes. Camping in The park offer a great moment to interact with nature, sleep under the stars and hear voices of different nocturnal animals such as lion roars, this experience is done in designated campsites that is public campsite and special campsite.
Cultural tours
The park is a wonderful destination for Tanzania cultural safaris, cultural tours in Mikumi national park is done in villages sharing borders of the park and these tours offer a great opportunity to enjoy traditional dances, taste traditional food, visit the local market, interact with elders and have a walk in the village for sights of farms, traditional houses and many more.
Where to stay in Mikumi national park
In The park accommodation is got from lodge and camps offered as luxury, midrange and budget
- Luxury accommodation in Mikumi park include Stanley’s Kopje camp and Vuma Hill Tented Lodge.
- Midrange accommodation in Mikumi park include Mikumi wildlife camp and Angalia tented camp.
- Budget accommodation in Mikumi park include Mikumi safari lodge, Tan-Swiss lodge, public campsites that is No 1, No 3-5 and special campsite that is Chogwale campsite.
How to get to Mikumi national park
The park is accessed by three means of transport that is road, air and railway means of transport.
By road – Mikumi park is much accessed on various routes from Da-re Salaam, Morongoro, Iringa and the most used route is highway from Iringa to Dar-es-Salaam. Mikumi park is also accessed from fellow national parks such as Selous game reserve via Pwaga and Mahondo ranger post leading to the main gate of the park.
By air – domestic chartered flights are offered from Julius Nyerere International airport to the airstrip situated at Kikoboga near the park’s headquarters.
By railway – train can be used from Dar es Salaam to Man’gula then head to the park.
