Mikumi National Park – Self Drive Tanzania

Self drive in southern Tanzania is never complete without a visit to Nyerere National Park & Mikumi located close to Dar es salaam granting you an insight to see the big five and cats on self drive Safari holiday with Self drive Africa.

History of Mikumi National Park – Tanzania Southern National Parks

Mikumi is a hidden germ is tucked away in the heart of Tanzania, just a comfortable journey southwest of the lively city of Dar es Salaam on a first class road connecting to Iringa region to Ruaha National Park, lies the enchanting Mikumi National Park. Frequently eclipsed by its more renowned northern counterparts, Mikumi provides a truly immersive and authentic safari experience, featuring diverse landscapes, rich wildlife, and a peaceful atmosphere that attracts both novice and experienced safari-goers. This article delves into the distinct charm and natural wonders that render Mikumi National Park an essential destination in Tanzania. Covering more than 3,230 square kilometers, Mikumi constitutes the northernmost section of the expansive Selous ecosystem, the largest protected wildlife area in Africa. The park’s scenery is a beautiful blend of open grasslands sprinkled with acacia trees, miambo woodlands rolling over gentle hills, and the vital Mkata Floodplain.

This diverse landscape supports a vibrant array of flora and fauna, crafting a dynamic and visually breathtaking environment for wildlife encounters and is famous for exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities.

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Location of Mikumi National Park

seeking destinations for visiting on short trips in Tanzania Safaris , then consider mikumi national Park that is located in the Southern part of Tanzania near the town of Morogoro its approximately 280 to 300 kilometers west of Dar el Salaam which is Tanzania’s largest city to other southern regions actually traverse the park which makes it relatively accessible from there with a road journey typically taking around 4 to 5 hours.

Self Drive Africa do recommends self drive adventures to southern Tanzania national Parks to fly into Dar es salaam international Airport ( Nyerere Airport) to pick up their car rental in Tanzania for ultimate Self drive Tanzania experience with the destination experts in offering road trips in Africa to explore African parks.

How to get to Mikumi National Park

it can be accessed either by road transport( Self drive from Dar es salaam ) or air transport. There are also road connecting from the Selous Game Reserve, Udzungwa Mountain National park and Ruaha national park, however these can only be accessed during the dry season

There is a chartered flights connecting from Dar-es Salam into Mikumi as well as from other national parks in Tanzania. One good service providers for these charter flights is Safari Air link.

Things to do in Mikumi National Park

Mikumi National park has numerous species and landscapes which are beautiful to see such as the Mkata Floodplain in particular which acts as a magnet for large herds of animals such as the of buffalo, wildebeest, zebra, and giraffe grazing peacefully under the African sun.

The park is also home to a healthy population of elephants, often seen wallowing in waterholes or foraging amongst the vegetation. Predator sightings are a highlight of any visit to Mikumi.

Lions are commonly spotted lounging in the shade or stalking prey across the open plains. Lucky visitors might also encounter leopards, often more elusive and typically found in the woodlands or rocky outcrops. Wild dogs, an endangered species, also roam Mikumi’s landscapes, adding an element of rare excitement to game drives. The park also offers encounters with a variety of other fascinating creatures during the game drives and walking Safaris.

The peculiar greater kudu, with its impressive spiralled horns, is a striking antelope species often seen in the miambo woodlands. Sable antelope, with their dark coats and scimitar-shaped horns, are another elegant resident. Smaller mammals like baboons, verve monkeys, and various mongoose species add to the park’s vibrant ecosystem. Birdwatchers will revel in the rich avian diversity of Mikumi, which boasts over 400 recorded species.

The park is a haven for spotting both resident and migratory birds, with sightings of colorful lilac-breasted rollers, vibrant kingfishers, and majestic raptors soaring above. The wetlands and acacia woodlands are especially rewarding for birding fans. A unique draw of Mikumi is its tree-climbing lions. Although not as numerous as those in Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park and Queen Elizabeth National park , these intriguing felines are sometimes seen resting in the branches of acacia trees, providing a memorable and distinctive sight.

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Best Time to Visit Mikumi National Park.

When it comes to self drive Safaris in southern Tanzania , there are times it should be taken and avoid rainy seasons as they tend to be complicated for self drive Safaris in Tanzania due to the flooding of the game drive routes and trails .
The perfect time to venture is during the months of June to October because the vegetation is lush and to the animals are grazing in the fields since the resources are scare they tend to concentrate in areas with plenty of water and vegetation to feed on because there is little of no rainfall at all while in the months of March ,April and May there is a lot of rainfall and to the animals are quite hard to be spot because of the thick vegetation though it has few tourists and its quite .

Top Safari activities in Mikumi National park

In comparison to some of Tanzania’s more frequented parks, Mikumi presents a more peaceful and less crowded safari experience. This tranquillity fosters a deeper connection with nature and enhances the spirit of adventure with a lot of activities to such as game drives ,nature walks ,culture walks , and so much more in detail as follows ,

Game drives

The park are generally leisurely, affording plenty of time to observe animal behavior and to take breathtaking photographs and this provides a close interaction with the animals and one gets to see them in their natural habitat .

Walking Safaris

This a game changing activity full adventure with the help of a guide to help you in navigating the park from exploring the animlas by their tracks with the help of a game ranger ,identifying game life and also viewing the scenery of the park with even capturing stunning views and angles of the park .

Bird watching

The park has about 400 bird species for the bird lovers whether you’re a seasoned bird lover or a curious novice this can reveal a stunning array of wildlife from colourful rollers and kingfishers to majestic raptors and numerous water birds around the hippo pools .

Visiting hippo pools

Spend time exploring the parks amazing creatures which are the hippo pools with fanscinating places to watch and see these semi acquatic mammals wallowing and this is a great opportunity to take photos and also learn of their behaviours and the way the live .

Cultural visits .

This helps one to intercat with the local peole and also get a glimpse of how they live by visiting the local nearby masaai villages and learn of their behaviours and welfare .

Night drives

This gives one a chance to spot the animals in a different perspective because of the dark which allows you to see nocturnal animals that are less active druing day but are active during the night and their eyes are always shinning bright during the dark such as the lions ,leopards among others .