Mikumi National Park, at a glance
Sharing a common border and ecosystem with Selous Game Reserve to the south, Mikumi National Park is only three to four hours drive from Dar es Salaam, lying astride the main highway to Zambia, and en route to the National Parks of Udzungwa Mountains, Ruaha and Kitulo.
Mikumi National Park covers an area of 3,230 sq km, and is rich in wildlife including buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, lion, elephant, impala, hippos, baboon, giraffe, warthog, waterbuck and eland which can be viewed throughout the year. Reptiles including crocodile, monitor lizard and python are also resident in the park.
Other animals that can be sighted although rare are the Sable Antelope resident in the southern part of the park bordering the Selous, the Greater Kudu, leopard, and the wild dog also known as the African Hunting Dog. More than 400 bird species have been recorded, including European migrants during the rainy season.
Best Activities in Mikumi National Park
Visitors can explore and admire the natural beauty and fauna of Africa. There are many safe countries to visit in Africa and discover it to the fullest. Tanzania, with its Mikumi National Forest, is one of the African nations that offers travelers a view of the continent’s fauna. The park, which is Tanzania’s fourth-largest national park, is located beside Selous Game Reserve between the Lumango and Uluguru mountain ranges.
Visitors can observe diverse wildlife, including fearsome elephants, hump-backed wildebeests, hostile buffalos, beguiling zebras, enormous elands, and charming impalas. The park also provides guests with several engaging and daring activities to undertake. Exploring Tanzania’s natural splendor while visiting the Mikumi National Forest is a blast. Let’s examine the top activities that one can engage in here.
There are many national parks around the world, and the ones in Africa are full of fauna. In Tanzania, Mikumi National Park has been one of the top locations to go birding in the country as it is home to more than 400 species of birds, featuring resident and European migratory birds and aquatic birds.
The grassland in the park is an excellent place to go for bird viewing. Bird watchers could see various bird species near the Mkata River and the Miombo woodlands.
Some common birds are the black-bellied bustard, the open-billed stork, the malachite kingfisher, cattle egrets, the Bateleur eagle, the yellow-throated long-claw, the African spoonbill, the lilac-breasted roller, the African gray hornbill, and the African fish eagle.
The Uluguru Mountains, a vast mountain chain, the Eastern Arc Mountains’ section, whose primary Mountain Ridge rises to 2,630 meters, are located in northern Mikumi National Park.
The hills give incredible scenery and disperse their charm with rare plant, bird, mammal, and amphibian species found anywhere else in the world.
Visitors can trek along the routes through rugged but still majestic woodlands to unwind and partake in the true grandeur of native surroundings and wilderness. Visitors can relish excursions, picturesque landscapes, greenery, and the magnificent biodiversity of famous house plants and endemic life forms such as impatiens, African Violets, and begonias.
A game drive in Mikumi gives visitors a chance to explore and discover animals in their native surroundings. Game drives rank among the main tourist activities in the park.
Visitors can take a game drive expedition in this expansive national park to see the large herds of buffalo, wild dogs, zebras, impalas, and wildebeest that are seen frequently roaming the grassy plains.
It is the best place to observe lion pride as they casually calculate strides for their meal. It is extremely amazing to see so many animals around.
Mikumi National Park contains two camping grounds catering to both public and personal camping needs. Visitors can discover the thrill of staying far in the woods at these CampGrounds – the Vuma Hills’ exclusive one and the Nkata Plains’ open one. Both campgrounds provide exceptional camping opportunities to admire nature’s magnificence while on this wildlife expedition. Visitors will get an excellent chance to see the environment, admire the stars, hear lions roar, see other creatures scurrying around the tents, and more.
The ideal picnicking opportunities are available in Mikumi National Park, an Acentric Wilderness Arena, which also offers other popular tourist attractions if visitors are keen on enjoying a picnic while on a group trip, family vacation, couple’s expedition, or other trips or looking for fun things to do in Tanzania.
These picnic excursions will treat visitors to breathtaking vistas, landscapes, and locations that will provide them with memorable scenes and a fascinating journey. Among the activities at picnics include eating, playing games, and many others. It’s a great chance to relax amid the beauty of nature.
Being in the natural world allows visitors to learn more about the surroundings in terms of their principal features, fauna, and other environmental specifics. Particularly for tourists who want to appreciate nature and wildlife have the opportunity to get close to the natural environment in the Mikumi National Park’s savannah grasslands by taking one of the many trails, including the Vuma trail, Lodge trail, and Kikoboga trail. Visitors will be able to appreciate highlights, wildlife, and various bird species and learn more about the national park’s surroundings to its full extent.
Mikumi National Park features walking safaris, during which guests tour the area on foot while being escorted by a forest ranger with a firearm. Both short and long paths take 3 to 4 hours to complete, traveling across Vuma, Miombo woodland, Mikumi wildlife resort, and Kikoboga.
The guided wildlife trips will provide visitors amazing up-close views of various creatures, a chance to see various vegetation species and colorful butterflies, the chance to hear birds chirping in the treetops, take beautiful pictures, and many more memories that will last a lifetime.
Mikumi National Park contains two camping grounds catering to both public and personal camping needs. Visitors can discover the thrill of staying far in the woods at these CampGrounds – the Vuma Hills’ exclusive one and the Nkata Plains’ open one. Both campgrounds provide exceptional camping opportunities to admire nature’s magnificence while on this wildlife expedition. Visitors will get an excellent chance to see the environment, admire the stars, hear lions roar, see other creatures scurrying around the tents, and more.
Expert Says
With the Tanzania–Zambia highway bisecting the park, Mikumi National Park lacks the wilderness appeal for which other reserves in southern Tanzania are known. But for me, Mikumi is perfect to break up the trip from Dar es Salaam to Ruaha National Park. I’ve always found the game viewing very good. There are good numbers of elephant, giraffe, zebra and wildebeest. The main waterhole is a magnet for thirsty animals and on my last visit huge herds of buffalo were a constant presence here. We saw a good variety of antelope, including impala, reedbuck, eland and greater kudu. The game-drive circuit is quite small, so a one- or two-night stay is all you need.
When is the best time to visit Mikumi National Park
Visitors can go on Safari in Mikumi National Park throughout the year although but the best time is the dry season. The dry season starts in June and ends up in October. During this season animals congregate near water holes and the vegetation cover is also at its thinnest.
The wet season will see the acceleration of the calving season as the rains renews the vegetation. Some ungulates like duiker and impala attend their new-born foals some distance from the main herds, making them difficult to find, but photo shoot opportunities are frequently most endearing.
In the wet, from November to May, East African game driving tours in Mikumi are often impeded soft black cotton soil, especially on the Mkata flood plains, but this is the best possible time for birding. There is usually some cloud cover, making for excellent photography in between sunlight, and rain falls but not every single day.
The breeding season begins with the rut in between March and May, when lyre-horned impala can be seen wrestling, heads down and horns locked, for the favors of a harem of gentle does. Resident birds such as widowbirds and bishops assume their striking breeding plumage whilst migratory birds such as the European stork travel to Africa from cooler countries. Flocks of thousands of pink-hued queleas and rare cuckoo weaver can be seen near the dams.
Accommodation options at Mikumi National Park
Mikumi National Park a mix of:
- Luxury Lodges: Tanzania has an impressive number of five-star hotels, luxury beach resorts, city escapes, boutique guesthouses, and luxury safari camps and lodges.
- Private Islands: For a real treat after a safari adventure, head east to Pemba island or Mnemba island for a desert-island-lost-in-a-tropical-paradise experience, and a true barefoot luxury holiday.
- Tented Camps: In many of the national parks and conservation areas, you can find luxury and mid-range tented camps. These put you closer to nature, whilst retaining all the amenities and creature comforts you want on a safari.
The luxury lodges are not quite up to the same standard as those found in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro on the Northern Circuit, but they do more than enough to make for wonderful stays on your safari. Many of the lodges and camps on offer here take the shape of eco-lodges, with many allowing animals to wander into the camp grounds!
How to get to Mikumi National Park
How To Get to Mikumi National Park is quite easier compared to other National Parks due to the National Park’s close proximity to Dar – Es Salaam which is Tanzania’s largest city with the main entry point for all international visitors. The park is situated in the southern part of Tanzania 283 kilometers from Dar es Salaam and lies astride the well-constructed Tanzam High way to Lusaka Zambia. This park can be accessed by both Air and Road.
By road, the well-constructed Tanzam High way to Lusaka Zambia that cuts across the National park guarantees easy accessibility to the park and thus after your arrival at Julius Nyerere Airport in Dar – Es Salaam or in case you are already in the city, you can be picked from your hotel accommodation by your tour company.
For tourists interested in flying straight to the park there are different flight companies such as safari Air link or coastal aviation that offer scheduled chattered flights to Mikumi and other southern circuit National parks from Dar es Salaam, Arusha, or connecting from the Selous Game Reserve.
Mikumi National Park FAQ's
Mikumi National Park; Has The Potential To Turn Every Traveler Into A Bird Lover…
Mikumi National Park covers 3,230 km² and the 4th largest national park in the country. Sharing a border with Nayere National Park, the national park creates a unique ecosystem. While going to Mikumi, you will get to drive through scenic views with hills shadowing on the side of the road. Mikumi National Park, the largest Tanzania Destinations has the potential to provide every traveller a real bliss.
You can spot some animals even before you enter the national park on the way nearer to the national park. Just think about driving past by a group of baboons or some antelopes just run beside your vehicle.Explore Mikumi National Park holidays and discover the Best Time For Safari In Tanzania and places to visit & it should be included on Tanzania Safari Tours experience.
Going to Mikumi National Park? Compare Tanzania Safari Cost and reviews for Mikumi National Park in Tanzania. So contact us now for any queries regarding Tanzania Safari Tours or book your safari packages with Lifetime Safaris today!
USD $20 per adult and USD $10 per party at Udzungwa for the daily guide fee.
Visitors can expect to find tree climbing lions, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, elands, greater Kudu, wildebeest, roan and sable antelope, buffalo, Burchell’s zebra, sable, eland, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, spotted hyena and baboons.
Mikumi NP offers a variety of accommodation options including lodges.
Lodges
Lodges at Arusha NP for visitors to choose from include:
- Vuma Hills
- Mikumi adventure lodge
- Tan-Swiss lodge
- Mikumi safari lodge
Newlyweds may also indulge on a Tanzania honeymoon safari or a luxury safari where they’ll receive a lot of extra pampering and top notch service, ensuring they feel all the love on a Tanzania safari.
Camps
Safari camps at Mikumi NP for visitors to choose from include:
- Vuma Hills tented Camp
Camping
2 camping areas are available, 1 public and 1 private. The campsites in the public sector are named 1, 3 and 5 and are located in Vuma Hills and Mkata Plains with bathrooms and toilets available. The private campsite in the Vuma area is known as Campsite 4.
Bars/restaurants/amenities
Lodges will typically have all meals and drinks included in the lodge package.
Entrance fee
Prices per day:
- USD $20 per adult to enter
- USD $10 per party at Udzungwa mountains for the daily guide fee. An armed ranger is required for longer hikes, costing $20 per party.
Carrying a small amount of Tanzanian currency, the Tanzania Shilling (TZS) is recommended as back-up when paying for items where credit card facilities are unavailable. Visitors can also review further details on overall Tanzania safari prices here.
Regulations
Visitors must respect the rules of the park including the flora and fauna. Details will be provided at the park entrance gate.
By Flight
Safaris to Mikumi usually start from Tanzania’s east coast city and are popular with visitors from South Africa. From there, Mikumi NP is a 4 hour drive.
International flights into the country arrive into Dar es Salaam (DAR) airport for visitors wondering how to get to Tanzania. DAR airport is located 18km south of Dar Es Salaam and a Tanzania visa and certain vaccinations may be required to enter the country.
By Road
Ruaha is 200 miles away by road and the drive will take almost 5 hours.
Don’t underestimate how tough Kilimanjaro is. Too many people do, and don’t make it to the top!
Depending on your current fitness, we suggest that you start your physical training at least two or three months prior to the climb. Please read How should I train for Kilimanjaro? to learn more.
Remember, the fitter you are, the more enjoyable the whole experience will be for you.