Mikumi national park
Mikumi national park is found in the southern part of Tanzania and it is the fourth largest national park in the country.
A number of wildlife species can be seen during a safari around Mikumi national park and these tours can be done during different months of the year during the safari activities carried out around the destination.
Among the wildlife species which can be seen during a safari around Mikumi national park include the big five such as elephants, lions, leopards, buffalos and rhinos which are sought after by many tourists during safaris. Other wildlife species which can be seen during safaris around Mikumi national park include giraffes, elands, zebras, impalas, hippos, spotted hyenas, jackals, sable antelopes, hartebeests among others.
Mikumi national park covers about 3,230 square kilometers and is sometimes compared to Serengeti national park which is a popular safari destination in the northern part of Tanzania known for having numerous wildlife species and also for the wildebeest migration. The two destinations are compared in terms of their landscape.
Mikumi national park consists of savannah plains, acacia trees and also baobabs and also the Mkata floodplain which is famous for the sightings of elands during Tanzania safaris around the open grasslands. The type of vegetation found in Mikumi national park is referred to as miombo vegetation.
Activities done around Mikumi national park
Activities carried out during safaris around Mikumi national park include walking safaris and also game drives. Apart from wildlife viewing at the destination, over 400 bird species can also be spotted around Mikumi national park.
Game drives around Mikumi national park are enjoyable and they involve exploring the savannah plains and miombo vegetation in search of the various wildlife species like elephants, buffalos, zebras, giraffes, elands among others at different times of day such as in the morning and afternoon.
Another activity to enjoy during a tour of Mikumi national park is walking safaris or nature walks which involve moving on foot around the national park. This experience gives a close encounter with the nature around the national park and wildlife species can also be encountered during these walks that are done in the company of a ranger guide.
Birds can be spotted in areas such as around the two pools which are located about 5 kilometers from the park gate. The birds include open billed storks, lilac breasted rollers, bateleur eagles, yellow throated long claw, egrets, herons, eagles, and many others.
The numbers of tourists who go for safaris to Mikumi national park are not as many compared to the safari parks in the northern part of Tanzania which is popular for wildlife safaris. During safaris in Mikumi national park, the wildlife found in southeastern the part of the national park is few and it is also a little difficult to access it during safaris.
Best time to visit Mikumi national park
There are different times of the year when safaris can be carried out in Mikumi national park ad this includes the dry season or high season and also in the low season or rainy season or green season.
During the rainy season, the wildlife species move to the lowland areas of the national park. Birding around Mikumi national park is also good during the rainy season. The dry season from June to October is the best time for safaris around the national park and wildlife species can be seen around the rivers and waterholes in the national park and the vegetation is thin making it easy to spot the wildlife species during a safari.
During some season in the year, the tourists visiting Mikumi national park are many such as in the dry season from June to October while in the low season or rainy season the number of tourists visiting the national park is low and it is a good time to avoid crowds during a safari and also prices are discounted for accommodations around the destination.
Location of Mikumi national park and how to get there
Mikumi national park is located not far from Dar es Salaam and can therefore be visited during trips to the city and even for short safaris.
The national park is located west of Dar es Salaam and can be accessed through Morogoro and is located north of Selous game reserve which is also referred to as Nyerere national park. The drive from Dar es Salaam to Mikumi national park takes about 4 hours.
Other destinations which border Mikumi national park include Udzungwa mountains national park on the south western side of the national park and also the Uluguru mountains which is found on the north eastern side of the destination.
Entrance fee for Mikumi national park
Park entrance fee is among the requirements for visiting Mikumi national park during a tour around Tanzania.
The park entrance fee for Mikumi national park is as follows excluding 18% tax;
Tourists aged above 16 years on safari around Mikumi national park are charged park entrance fee of 30 USD for nonresidents and 10 USD for children aged between 5 and 15 years.
Residents or expatriates visiting Mikumi national during Tanzania safaris are charged park entrance fee of 15 USD for adults aged above 16 years while children aged between 5 and 15 years are charged park fees of 5 USD.
East Africans or Tanzanians are charged park entrance fee of 5,000 Tanzania shillings for adults aged above 16 years while children aged between 5 and 15 years are charged entrance fee of 2,000 Tanzania shillings to visit Mikumi national park.
Children aged below 5 years are not charged park entrance fee for safaris to Mikumi national park.
Where to stay in Mikumi national park
There are different places to stay during safaris around Mikumi national park and they are found outside the national park and include midrange, budget and luxury lodges such as Mikumi wildlife camp, Vuma hills tented camp, Camp Bastian Mikumi, Voyage village hotel, Angalia tented camp, Mikumi adventure lodge, Mikumi Tan-Swiss lodge among others which are also found in the neighboring areas.
Visit Mikumi national park and enjoy exploring the savannah plains in search for various wildlife species during your safari to Tanzania.
