Mikumi National Park

Mikumi National Park, Southern Tanzania

Mikumi National Park borders Selous Game Reserve on the south, the two areas forming a unique ecosystem. Mikumi National Park is about 250km west of Dar es Salaam. The park is famous for its flooded plains which attract a great mixture of wild animals and wildfowl. 

The National Park is rich in wildlife including buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, lion, elephant, impala, hippos, baboon, giraffe, warthog, waterbuck, and eland which can be viewed throughout the year. Reptiles including crocodiles, monitor lizards, and pythons are also resident in the park. Other animals that can be sighted although rare are the Sable Antelope resident in the southern part of the park bordering the Selous, the Greater Kudu, the leopard, and the wild dog also known as the African Hunting Dog.

More than 400 bird species have been recorded in Mikumi National Park, with such colorful common residents as the lilac-breasted roller, yellow-throated longclaw, and bateleur eagle joined by a host of European migrants during the rainy season.

The best time for an amazing wildlife viewing safari in Mikumi is during the dry season, between June and October. It is during the dry season when vegetation in the park is thinner and wildlife concentrates around the few waterholes and rivers – making it easier to spot them.