Mikumi National Park

Mikumi National Park is Tanzania's fourth-biggest national park and the most accessible from Dar es Salaam. With confirmed wildlife sightings it makes a perfect safari destination for those who are busy and have less time to travel; two days or more can get you an opportunity to explore the splendour of Mikumi National Park. Since the formation of a highway connecting Mikumi National Park to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's busiest and largest city, Mikumi has been slated to be a major hotspot for the travel industry in Tanzania.

Situated between the Uluguru Mountains and the Lumango range, Mikumi is the fourth biggest national park in Tanzania and just a couple of hours' drive from Tanzania's biggest city. The park centre has a wide assortment of natural life that can be simply spotted and furthermore very well suited to viewing on a game drive. Its vicinity to Dar es Salaam and the measure of wildlife that live inside its fringes makes Mikumi National Park a well-known choice for those travellers who don't have much time but also want to enjoy a wildlife safari.

Mikumi National Park is one of the protected areas that are found in the southern part of the country. It is located not far from the shores of the Indian Ocean, and the park was established in 1964. Mikumi National Park has risen through several land expansions after it was gazetted as a national park. It began as a small game reserve until 1975 when more land from both southern and northern sides was added into the park. Currently the park is the fourth largest national park in Tanzania covering a total land area of 3,230 square kilometres.

Your planned Mikumi National Park safari takes you to the land of Arc Mountains that surround the park across all directions. The most famous mountains are the Uluguru Mountains that are found on the eastern part of the park. In the west and the north you find the Mazunyungu hills, Madzini hills and Mbesera hills. Mikumi is one of the best national parks though not very famous but has great wildlife experience. Its unique surrounding by the mountains and the hills has given more reflection of light to the park that gives good scenic and fabulous colour and light around the park. The views of the sunset and sunrise are good especially if you hike to the top of any hill or mountain and observe the sun rise or sun set.

Mikumi National Park has a diversified ecosystem that is further divided by the road that runs across the park. The road separates the park into two sections: one is North West and the other is South East. Both sides have different ecosystems with little in common. For example the North West is dominated by the open alluvial plains that are characterised by more Acacia trees and the large Baobab tree. The North West is more like Tarangire National Park, and here in this region you get more African Elephants. On the other side of the road, which is less accessed for Mikumi safari and game viewing, the vegetation is thick and dominated by shrubs with few wildlife found in the area, hence making it less exploited.

The Mikumi National Park safari is best done in the North West commonly known as the Mkata plains. The plains have similar characteristics with the famous Serengeti National Park that is found in the northern part of Tanzania. If you like hiking then the northern part of Mikumi National Park will be the place to be during your Mikumi safari. It has unique rock formations like Ruhebo Mountains and Uluguru Mountains.

Wildlife. Nicknamed as little Serengeti National Park is Mikumi National Park; it is rich with a wide range of wildlife. The park hosts a large number of the big game that covers four members of the African big five, only missing rhinos. Mikumi is a home of large herds of elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, hyenas, leopards, lions, sable antelopes, greater kudu, and many more. The chances of seeing tree-climbing lions in Mikumi National Park are higher than in the famous tree-climbing lions home that is Lake Manyara National Park.

Bird Species. Birds are one of the key attractions in Mikumi National Park. The park has over 400 bird species with both permanent habitats and migratory birds. This large number of birds has made the park one of the birding destinations in the southern part of Tanzania. The long lists of birds can be achieved with patient Mikumi safaris that last beyond 3 days. However much the size of the park is not all that very big, but the diversity of the ecosystem and the vegetation has attracted different bird species. The most sighted birds are: black-bellied bustard, secretary bird, guinea fowl, oxpeckers, bateleur eagles and cattle egret.

Mountains. Mikumi National Park is situated in the middle of mountains, hence making mountains some of the key attractions in Mikumi National Park. The scenic views of the mountains that have unique formation systems attract more guests especially writers, photographers and researchers to the park. The most common and famous mountains are the Uluguru Mountains that every guest wants to try to hike during their safari to Mikumi National Park. Other mountains around the park include the Udzungwa Mountains, and the Malundwe Mountains which is the largest and the highest mountain. It is found in the centre of the national park connecting the Uluguru Mountains with the Udzungwa Mountains and Uvidunda. Malundwe Mountains consist of three peaks with the highest peak found on the southern part reaching up to 1,290 metres.

Traveling to Mikumi by SGR. With the introduction of the Tanzania SGR (Standard Gauge Railway) high-speed train connecting Dar es Salaam to Morogoro, travellers now have a faster, more comfortable and reliable alternative to road travel. This modern rail service significantly reduces travel time, allowing visitors to bypass road traffic and enjoy a smooth, scenic journey, making it easier than ever to continue on to Mikumi National Park. Cut your travel time from a 6-hour road trip to just a 1 and a half hour high-speed train ride, enjoy comfortable seating, scenic views of the Tanzanian countryside, and avoid the inconvenience of car breakdowns and unpredictable road conditions.