Mikumi National park Is Tanzania’s fourth-biggest national park covering a total land area of 3230 square kilometres. Mikumi National park includes the most famous Uluguru mountains on the Eastern part.
The park is surrounded by mountains and hills and this gives a good scenic and fabulous colours and lights around the park. View of the sunset and sunrise is good especially if you hike to the top of any hill or mountain offered by the park.
Mikumi National park is sometimes referred to as the little Serengeti, this is because it is rich with a wide range of wildlife. The park hosts a large number of the big game that covers four members of the African big five only missing rhinos.
Mikumi National Park borders 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 miles) tract of wilderness that stretches east almost as far as the Indian Ocean.
The Park located 283 km (175 miles) west of Dar es Salaam, north of Selous, and route to Ruaha, Udzungwa and (for the intrepid) Katavi.
Back in the days, Mikumi National park was used as a hunting ground. It was gazetted as a National Park in 1964. The park derived its name after the rod-shaped Borassus palm trees. The Mkata plain supports huge herds of plains game such as wildebeest, impala, zebra and giraffe, hunted by their associated predators.
While you are more likely to find Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, greater kudu, roan and sable antelope in the surrounding less fertile hills. Although game sightings can never be guaranteed, there are lots of sightings of the African ‘wild dog’ hunting the plains in packs.
Mammals and Birds.
Mikumi consists of a high population of game animals, with huge herds of Nyasa Blue Wildebeest, buffalo, impala, zebra and giraffe. Where there are large herds, there are always plenty of predators waiting for a feast. Also, Mikumi is the home of the endangered African wild dog so visiting the area will give you a chance to come even more close to these beautiful creatures.
Also, Mikumi has over 400 species of birds in the park. This makes it to be a perfect spot for the birdwatchers. Species such as Zanzibar Red Bishop are freely roaming in the plains of Mikumi. Migrant species join in the spectacle during the months of November through to April, May.
Landscapes.
Not only Mikumi is a great place for getting you on game drives, but it is also an extremely colourful place. The open grasslands stretching out before you change through the range of orange and yellows throughout the day – a photographer’s paradise!
Optional Safari Activities:
Balloon Safari (USD 590 per person)
Maasai Village Visit (USD 50 per vehicle)
Night Game Drive Tarangire or Lake Manyara (USD 120 per person)
Ngorongoro Crater Rim Walk (USD 30 per person)
Visit to the Olduvai Gorge and museum (USD 40 per person)
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