Beyond Ordinary Travel
A Mikumi National Park safari is the most accessible southern Tanzania wildlife experience, ideal for travellers based in Dar es Salaam or passing through on the main Morogoro road. The park covers 3,230 sq km and forms the northern buffer zone of the vast Selous ecosystem. A Mikumi National Park safari focuses on the Mkata Floodplain at the heart of the park, a wide open grassland where lion, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, and hippo are reliably found. The floodplain has often been compared to a miniature Serengeti in terms of its open visibility and density of grazing animals. Mikumi is one of the best places in Tanzania to see yellow baboon, banded mongoose, and Burchell’s starling — all commonly encountered roadside during the drive into the park. Wild dog and sable antelope are present in the surrounding woodland, though less easily seen than on the plains. Birding is excellent throughout the year, with over 400 species recorded. Mikumi receives a fraction of the visitors that the Northern Circuit attracts, making game drives here feel uncrowded and personal. The park is just 300 km from Dar es Salaam and reachable by road in around four hours, or by a short flight.
