Mikumi National Park

Mikumi is surrounded by Eastern Arc Mountains leading to spectacular sunrises and sunsets. Mikumi is a great park for seeing lots of animals very quickly and after 5 minutes passing the gate you will have seen about ten species of large mammals. Mikumi is also excellent for birdwatching (in particular raptors) and an IUCN Important Bird Area.

Mikumi is not a busy park and you will frequently be the only car in site. This gives that great feeling of being alone in the bush.Mikumi has a good cat population and recently we have been seeing both leopard and lions regularly. Wild Dogs are also making a comeback in the Mikumi area.

Mikumi is an important educational and research centre. Among the various projects being carried out is an ongoing field study of yellow baboons, which is one of just a handful of such long-term primate studies on the continent.

Located 283 km (175 miles) west of Dar es Salaam, north of Selous, past Morogoro. Mikumi National Park abuts the northern border of Africa’s biggest game reserve – the Selous – and is transacted by the surfaced road between Dar es Salaam and Iringa. It is thus the most accessible part of a 75,000 square kilometre (47,000 square mile) tract of wilderness that stretches east almost as far as the Indian Ocean.

Mikumi hosts buffaloes, wildebeests, giraffes, elephants, lions, zebras, leopards, crocodiles and more, and chances are high that you’ll see a respectable sampling of these within a short time of entering the park.

The most reliable wildlife watching is around the Mkata floodplain, to the northwest of the main road, with the open vistas of the small but lovely Millennium (‘Little Serengeti’) area a highlight. This area is especially good for spotting buffaloes – often quite near the roadside – as well as giraffes, elephants and zebras. Another attraction: the Hippo Pools, just northwest of the main entry gate, where you can watch hippos wallowing and snorting at close range, plus do some fine birding.

Climate is tropical and the park is accessible year round. The best time to visit the park is during the dry season which is June through February. During the rainy season (March through – May) some of the park roads may be impassable.

The park lies in a horseshoe of towering mountains and forested foothills which almost enclose the flood plain of the Mkata river.

There are three places to stay in the park. Two are owned by Foxes Safari and the other is Kikoboga. Foxes Safari Camp is the first tented camp site when you enter the park from Dar es Salaam. This camp is almost in the center of the park and offers a great view from the top of the hill where the restaurant and pool are located. The staff is very friendly and the food is good, although not exceptional, especially given the price. At night you can hear animals walking around and under the elevated tents. The other lodging owned by the Foxes is Vuma Hills which is about 6km from the main gate. Very nice accommodation and excellent food. The huts look nice and there is a watering hole nearby which attracts many animals especially during the dry season.

Camping in Mikumi is allowed in several established campgrounds and at least one “special campsite” (this term means back country camping with no facilities). Some of the old camping areas near the front gate were closed in 2012 and new areas were established. One new area, site 1 or site 3, depending on who you ask, is about one kilometer west of the Hippo Pool.