Mikumi National Park

Mikumi National Park is a protected area in the Morogoro Region of Tanzania established to conserve savanna wildlife and seasonal floodplain habitat. It is one of the country’s more accessible parks from the coastal metropolis of Dar es Salaam.

Open plains and the Mkata floodplain support visible populations of elephants, lions, giraffes, zebras and buffalo, plus a variety of plains bird species; game drives of a few hours commonly produce sightings of the main savanna species. The park is often combined with nearby reserves for multi-day safaris.

The park was set aside in the mid-20th century to protect wildlife and the floodplain ecosystem and has since been managed as a national park for public access and conservation. Infrastructure is focused on road-based game viewing with several entry gates and picnic areas.

Mikumi lies in southeastern Tanzania near the town of Mikumi along the A7 road, roughly midway between Dar es Salaam and inland towns such as Iringa. The landscape is typical Miombo woodland and open savanna.

• Access: Accessible by sealed and earth roads from Dar es Salaam in roughly a 4- to 5-hour drive, making it a common short-stop safari destination for visitors based in the city.

What to See #

• Mkata Floodplain: A broad seasonal floodplain that attracts large concentrations of grazers and predators in the dry season and is the park's main wildlife-viewing area.