Mikumi National Park
An accessible park on the Dar es Salaam highway, with open floodplain that reads like a small Serengeti.
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Mikumi is the most reachable of the large parks from Dar es Salaam, about four hours by road, and the highway to Iringa runs straight through it, so animals are visible from the tarmac. The Mkata floodplain in the north is open grassland with palms and acacia and holds buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, elephant and lion, with hippo pools at the Mkata river. It adjoins Nyerere National Park to the south, and animals move between the two.
What you actually see
- The Mkata floodplain - open grassland with palms, the park's main game area.
- The hippo pools - permanent pools on the Mkata river with resident hippo.
- The roadside viewing - animals visible from the highway crossing the park.
- The Uluguru backdrop - the mountains standing to the northeast of the plain.
When to go
June to October in the dry season, when animals concentrate at water. The rains from December to April green the plain and disperse the game. Early morning and late afternoon are best.
Honest expectations
The highway through the park brings heavy lorry traffic and animals are killed on it regularly. Game densities are lower than in the northern parks. It is often done as a rushed day trip, which does not suit it.
Nearby
Udzungwa is south, and Morogoro is east.
What to pack for Mikumi National Park
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
