Mkomazi National Park

Mkomazi is dry, thorny country in the rain shadow of the Pare and Usambara mountains, contiguous with Tsavo across the Kenyan border, and its wildlife moves between the two. Made a national park in 2008, it holds a fenced black rhino sanctuary set up to reintroduce animals lost to poaching, and a captive breeding programme for African wild dog. The species here are the dry-country ones: gerenuk, lesser kudu, oryx and generously scattered elephant.

Background

The park spreads over more than 3,234 km2. Most of it lies in Same District, Kilimanjaro Region, and in Lushoto District, Tanga Region, with a thin strip reaching into Mkinga District. Protection began in 1951, when the land was set aside as a game reserve. What people call Mkomazi joins two former reserves: Umba in the east and the larger Mkomazi in the west, which has the greater variety of relief and habitat and the longer shared boundary with Kenya's Tsavo West National Park. Acacia-Commiphora vegetation dominates the landscape. The park recorded 1,587 visitors in 2012.

Source: Wikipedia, "Mkomazi National Park"

The landscape

• The rhino sanctuary - a fenced reintroduction programme for black rhino.
• The wild dog programme - captive breeding and release of African wild dog.
• The dry-country species - gerenuk, lesser kudu and oryx in thorn scrub.
• The mountain backdrop - the Pare and Usambara ranges standing over the plain.

When to go

June to October is the dry season and the easiest for driving. The short rains in November and the long rains from March to May make tracks difficult. Kilimanjaro is sometimes visible on clear mornings.

Things to know

Game is scattered and much harder to find than in the famous parks. The rhino sanctuary is fenced and visits must be arranged separately. Facilities inside the park are limited.

Nearby

The Pare Mountains are west, and Same is beyond them.

Key facts