About Mikumi National Park
Located north of Selous, Mikumi National Park offers the chance to experience pure African nature and rich wildlife. The main feature of Tanzania’s fourth-largest national park are the floodplains. These flooded savannahs attract a great mix of wildlife and are often compared to the famous Serengeti plains. Mikumi is a perfect safari destination for those who have little time to spend, since wildlife can be viewed all year-round and it is close to Dar es Salaam.
The park center has a wide assortment of natural life that can be simply spotted and furthermore very much suitable to viewing in 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 travelers who don’t have much time but also want to enjoy a wildlife safari to Mikumi national park.
The landscapes in Mikumi National Park can easily be compared to those of the Serengeti National Park as acacias, baobabs, and tamarinds dot the savannah. The Ruhebo and Uluguru mountains as well as some interesting rock formations can be seen close to the northern boundary of the park and the Mkata plains are by far the best place for game viewing. The park is famous for its healthy populations of elephants and buffaloes which can easily be spotted out on the plains. The tamarind trees are a favorite spot for elephants and giraffes who spend hours eating the fruits.
Another highlight in terms of wildlife is the greater kudus and sable antelopes. These shy antelopes like to hang around the Miombo woodlands in the southern part of the park near the Vuma Hills area.
The Mkata plains are also a great place for birding. Mikumi boasts of a respectful 400 species of birds with the most common ones being the black-bellied bustards, guinea fowls, marabou storks, bateleur eagles, oxpeckers, colorful lilac-breasted rollers, and yellow-throated long claws. These are just a few of the many species you are likely to spot whilst there. The park also witnesses a passing of migrating birds from Europe during the rainy season.
Mikumi National Park is also home to lions as well as leopards. Even the African wild dog is present and spotting this rare creature can be a real treat for visitors.
There are two artificial pools approximately 5 km north of the main gate and both of them are famous for Mikumi’s few hippos. Furthermore, the pools attract an array of water birds such as blacksmith plovers, cattle egrets, various herons, fish eagles, and many more.
As Mikumi National Park is part of the Selous ecosystem it always has wildlife moving in and out of the park. This constant movement is however being disrupted due to the A7 tarmac road that runs through the park.
When to go:
Mikumi’s dry season lasts between May and November, but despite wet spells during the remaining months, the countryside is green and beautiful and a well-established network of roads and tracks ensures enjoyable visits all year round.
