Mkomazi National Park
A dry northern park under the Pare and Usambara mountains, with rhino and wild dog breeding programmes.
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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.
What you actually see
- 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.
Honest expectations
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.
What to pack for Mkomazi 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.
