Mikumi
Mikumi National park
Mikumi National Park: Tanzania’s Wildlife Haven
Location: Mikumi National Park, one of Tanzania’s largest national parks, spans 3,230 square kilometers and is conveniently located in the southern circuit. A three to four-hour drive from Dar-Es-Salaam makes it easily accessible for travelers with limited time.
Highlights:
- Comparable landscape to the Serengeti, earning it the nickname “Little Serengeti.”
- Rich diversity of wildlife with proximity to Dar-Es-Salaam.
Tourist Attractions:
- Flora and Fauna:
- Diverse ecosystem with acacia, baobab, tamarinds, and rare palms.
- Unique reflection of light from surrounding mountains and hills.
- Wildlife:
- Home to four members of the African Big 5 (excluding rhinos).
- Abundance of elephants, buffaloes, zebras, wildebeest, hyenas, leopards, lions, sable antelopes, and more.
- Over 440 bird species, including black-bellied bustard, secretary bird, guinea fowl, oxpeckers, and African fish eagle.
- Tourism Activities:
- Game Drives: Explore Mkata Floodplain to spot lions, buffaloes, zebras, and more.
- Bird Watching: Ideal for birdwatching with around 450 bird species, both endemic and migratory.
- Hiking Uluguru Mountains: Discover the extensive mountain range, home to unique plant and animal species.
- Camping: Enjoy camping experiences at private and public camping sites.
- Picnics: Organize prepared meals for a unique picnic in the park.
- Guided Nature Walks: Explore nature, wildlife, and bird species with professional rangers.
Activities to do in Mikumi
Amazing and incredible Tourist Activities in Mikumi National Park are offered all year-round, this has over time progressed the National Park to be a great Wildlife safari destination thus increasing traffic of adventurers in the park especially those that are clearly interested in weekend gateways and short safaris, the short day’s safaris are usually suitable for those with limited time and this is as a result of the park’s proximity to Dar – Es Salaam. Some of the common Tourist activities in Mikumi National Park include;
Game drive safari
Game drives are one of the major Tourist Activities in Mikumi National Park, a Game drive in a savannah grassland National park like Mikumi offers tourists an opportunity to explore and spot out Wildlife in their natural habitat/ wilderness setting, Explore this sprawling National Park on a Game drive Safari in its broad Mkata Floodplain ideal to spot a Pride of Lions as they lazily count steps for their prey – the vast herds of Buffaloes, Zebras with Wild Dogs, Wildebeest, and Impalas that are majorly spotted roaming the grasslands plains, Spot Elephants that seek their shade in the acacia trees, watch Schools of hippos wallow in the artificial water pools close to the entrance gate as well as an encounter with several herds of wildlife such as Giraffes, Elands, Zebras, Antelopes and many more that collect themselves to these pools.
Bird Watching
Among the Tourist Activities in Mikumi National Park usually done by visitors is Bird watching, Tourists interested in Birdlife enjoy spotting a large batch of colorful and exclusive bird species approximate to 500 bird species that the park inhabits ranging from the Endemic native species, migratory birds, savannah birds, water birds and many more. Mikumi National Park’s rich habitats filled with open grasslands, swamp areas, the artificial hippo pools, are the best areas of the National Park that usually inhabits the water-based species of birds such as the local Zanzibar Red Bishop, Yellow Throated Long Claw, Lilac Breasted Roller, African Fish Eagle and the African Spoonbill, Bateleurs Eagle and Open Billed Stork.
Guided Nature Walks
Especially for visitors who are nature and bird lovers, you can get acquainted with nature into the savannah plains of Mikumi National Park through the different trails such as the Lodge trail, Vuma trail and the Kikogoba trail to enjoy features, Wildlife, bird’s species and see what the park environment is composed of in its details.
Camping
Mikumi national park has got two Camping Sites/Grounds, offering public camping and private camping respectively. Both Camping Sites offer unique experiences of camping to cherish nature and its beauty while you are on your Wildlife adventure, enjoy the splendorous feeling of sleeping far in the Wilderness at these Camping sites – the private one in Vuma Hills and the public found in the Nkata Plains.
Picnics
If you are on a Group safari, Family holiday, Couple adventures, interested in having a picnic Mikumi National Park is an Acentric Wilderness Arena that has the best of picnics offered among its Tourist Activities in Mikumi National Park. These picnic experiences will reward you with spectacular views, terrains, and sites that will give you great moments and a remarkable adventure.
Maasai tour
Learn more and experience Maasai stories about they’re life style and you will get a chance to see Maasai Boma also to sing Maasai songs and dancing with them While you will be dressed as Maasai man or woman it depends on your gender
