Mikumi is Tanzania’s fourth-largest national park. Easily accessible from Dar es Salaam, it is an ideal safari destination for travel lovers. Located between the Uluguru Mountains and the Lumango range, it is a great spot for wildlife watching and game viewing. It is not very crowded, and offers views of the vast grassland, shrubland and lush green forest. It is home to large herds of elephants, wildebeests, buffalos, zebras, elands, impalas, lions, leopards, hyenas, and wild dogs. Here is a guide to Mikumi National Park!
The best way of getting to Mikumi National Park is to drive from Dar Es Salaam. The car ride will take around 5 hours, and the road is paved and smooth. If you are driving from Dodoma, you will have to travel for around 6 hours. It is also accessible from Tanga via a 7 hour drive, and Mbeya via a 9 hour drive. Buses on these routes are also available. If you are visiting Selous Game Reserve, you can take a 9 hour ride to Mikumi! To enter the park, you must get a visitor's permit for USD20 per person, which stays valid for 24 hours from time of purchase. Non-residents must pay the park entry fee in US dollars. Visitors must enter before 4PM and exit before 7PM.
There are a number of activities that tourists can enjoy here.
The Dry season from June to October is the best time to visit as it is the peak time for watching wildlife. As the bush is thinner, it is easier to spot the animals. You may also spot tree-climbing lions that get to a higher vantage point as a hunting strategy. As the park is rarely crowded, visiting during peak season (June to October) has no disadvantages.
In Mikumi National Park, there are no true luxury East African travel accommodations. You can stay at Stanley’s Kopje Camp, a smaller camp with twelve tents. It is personalized, but is located only four kilometers from the Tanzam Highway. A traditional ethnic ambience is created by design. The camp is solar-powered, and offers buffet breakfast and lunch with fixed dinner menus. It is only open from June to February. Tourists can also stay at tented camps in Vuma Hills Camp, which has sixteen large, insect-proof tents with en-suite bathroom facilities and large private balconies above a small swimming pool. Mikumi Wildlife Camp is a basic lodge with six simple stone-built thatched bandas with en-suite bathroom, a fan and insecticide spraying service to protect you from insects.
KENYA, Mombasa: A photograph taken by the Ministry of East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism (MEAACT), shows a general view of the Mombasa skyline opposite EnglishPoint Marina in Mombasa, 02 June 2015. The 4-acre ocean view EnglishPoint Marina represents an iconic landmark that overlooks the Mombasa skyline in a natural marina basin with a modern design and contemporary feel. The multi-million dollar marina resort features a 26-room hotel, conferencing facility, a roof-top restaurant, a casino, swimming pool, 96 serviced apartments including 8 penthouses seafront restaurant, gym and spa, as well as a boardwalk with retail outlets, water-sports centre and fully-serviced, 88-berth marina. MANDATORY CREDIT: MEAACT PHOTO / STUART PRICE.