Camp058 - Mikumi National Park
Camp058 - Mikumi National Park - a gateway to the true wilderness!
A few hours from Dar es Salaam is Tanzania’s fourth largest park, Mikumi. With open horizons, superb wildlife and expansive grasslands, the floodplains of Mikumi draw frequent comparison with the Serengeti. Mikumi lies between Selous and the Udzungwa mountains and is the most accessible part of the southern circuit. To the south it borders the Selous (the largest game reserve in Africa), to the east the Uluguru mountains and to the west, the Udzungwa mountains. Big game, easy access and great bird watching make this a popular destination.
Although dwarfed by the adjacent Selous game reserve, measuring roughly 60km in diameter, this is not a small park. The main reason for its relatively lowly status is that the core game areas are traversed by the main road, leading to Mikumi's reputation as a place through which to transit. It is often said that the best gameviewing in the reserve is along the edges of the road ... flattened by passing trucks.
During a safari in Mikumi the main feature is the Mkata River Flood Plain. The open horizons and abundant wildlife of the Mkata Floodplain, the popular centrepiece of Mikum, draw frequent comparisons to the more famous Serengeti Plains. Mikumi shares the eco-system with the Selous Game Reserve and Kilombero Game Controlled Area.
The proximity of Tanzania’s largest city, Dar es Salaam, just 300km away along a decent highway, means that Mikumi is a popular weekend destination. However only 20% of the park has been developed for tourism and the wooded hilly southern sector remains relatively untouched and inaccessible.
Safari Suggestions to this destination
Safari Suggestions as follows
Other Suggested Destinations
Highlights
- See animals at the hippo pool.
- Explore for lions, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, boars and wildebeest.
- Bird watching.
- Visit nearby Udzungwa or travel on to Selous or Ruaha.
