Mkata Floodplain
Open grassland that is often compared to the Serengeti, with excellent views of plains game and predators.
Tanzania National Parks
Mikumi National Park
The closest national park to Dar es Salaam, Mikumi offers wide floodplains full of wildlife, easy access and a wonderful introduction to Tanzania's southern circuit.
- Location
- 288 km west of Dar es Salaam
- Known For
- Mkata floodplain
- Size
- 3,230 km²
- Experience
- Easy safari from Dar
Discover Mikumi
The southern circuit's most accessible park.
Mikumi National Park is the nearest national park to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's largest commercial city. Gazetted in 1964 and covering 3,230 km², it lies in the Morogoro region, about 288 km west of the city, roughly four hours by car.
The park is named after the village of Mikumi just outside its southwestern boundary, which takes its name from the spindle-shaped Borassus palm trees that grow there in profusion. Inside the park, the landscape varies from forested hills to floodplains, riverine thickets and open savanna.
Why Mikumi
Classic safari close to the coast.
Mikumi's easy access and open landscapes make it ideal for short safaris from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar.
Easy Access
Just four hours from Dar es Salaam by road or a short flight, perfect for short safaris.
Hippo Pools
Watch hippos and crocodiles at close range at the park's famous hippo pools.
Varied Landscapes
From miombo woodland on the Uluguru slopes to open savanna, each drive brings new scenery.
Location
Where is Mikumi National Park?
Mikumi lies in the Morogoro region, about 288 km west of Dar es Salaam and 330 km from Ruaha National Park. The park sits between the villages of Mikumi and Doma on the main Dar es Salaam–Morogoro–Iringa road, which bisects the park.
To the east, the slopes of the Uluguru Mountains are covered in miombo woodland, while to the west the park opens into floodplain and tree-dotted savanna as far as the Mkata River. Mikumi borders Nyerere National Park to the south and lies near the Udzungwa Mountains.
When to visit
Every season tells a different Mikumi story.
Mikumi can be visited year-round, with the dry season best for game viewing.
Dry Season
The best time for wildlife, with animals gathering on the Mkata floodplain and at the hippo pools.
Short Rains
Green scenery returns and birdlife is excellent.
Short Dry Spell
Warm, green and pleasant, with good game viewing.
Long Rains
The wettest period, with lush landscapes and fewer visitors.
What is the best month to visit Mikumi?
Each month offers different conditions, from dry-season wildlife to green-season birding.
Warm and green, with good game viewing and excellent birdlife.
Pleasant conditions before the long rains, with newborn animals.
Long rains begin; scenery becomes lush.
The wettest month; quiet and green.
Rains ease and the park begins to dry out.
Dry season begins, with wildlife gathering on the floodplain.
Excellent game viewing and comfortable temperatures.
Dry and clear, ideal for spotting elephants, lions and giraffes.
Prime season, with animals concentrated near water.
Hot and dry, with great sightings at the hippo pools.
Short rains refresh the landscape.
Green scenery and active birdlife.
Explore the area
Discover the different faces of Mikumi.
The main road divides the park ecologically as well as physically.
Northern MikumiMkata FloodplainOpen grassland and swamps where buffalo, zebras, wildebeest and lions are commonly seen.
Central MikumiHippo PoolsPermanent pools where hippos, crocodiles and waterbirds gather year-round.
Eastern MikumiMiombo WoodlandWoodland on the slopes of the Uluguru Mountains, home to sable antelope and greater kudu.
Northern MikumiChamgore & the Hill DriveScenic drives through varied habitats, rich in wildlife and quiet throughout the year.
Wildlife
A wildlife-rich floodplain.
The park's principal features are the Mkata River floodplains, swamps, grasslands, miombo woodlands and dense thickets. The floodplain, riverine areas, Chamgore and the hill drive are all rich in wildlife and less crowded than the northern parks.
Elephants, lions, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and eland are commonly seen, while the hippo pools offer close-up views of hippos and crocodiles. Mikumi will never disappoint you.
12 animals to look for
Elephant
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Floodplain and woodland edges
Family herds are common across the park.
1 / 12
Lion
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Mkata floodplain
Prides hunt across the floodplain, sometimes resting in trees.
2 / 12
Buffalo
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Floodplain and swamps
Large herds graze the open grassland.
3 / 12
Giraffe
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Woodland and floodplain edges
Masai giraffes are a common sight.
4 / 12
Zebra
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Mkata floodplain
Herds graze the floodplain alongside wildebeest.
5 / 12
Wildebeest
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Mkata floodplain
Common grazers on the open grassland.
6 / 12
Eland
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Floodplain and woodland
The world's largest antelope is often seen in herds.
7 / 12
Hippo
Chance of seeingVery common
Where to look: Hippo pools
Dozens of hippos crowd the permanent pools.
8 / 12
Crocodile
Chance of seeingCommon
Where to look: Hippo pools and rivers
Seen basking near the pools.
9 / 12
Leopard
Chance of seeingOccasional
Where to look: Woodland and riverine thickets
Present but elusive.
10 / 12
Sable antelope
Chance of seeingRare
Where to look: Miombo woodland in the east
A rare antelope of the miombo woodland.
11 / 12
African wild dog
Chance of seeingRare
Where to look: Woodland, often moving through from Nyerere
Occasionally seen, as packs roam between Mikumi and Nyerere.
12 / 12
The Mkata Floodplain
A little Serengeti in the south.
The Mkata floodplain is the heart of Mikumi, an open expanse of grassland where wildlife can be seen across wide horizons. Lions hunt among herds of zebras, wildebeest and buffalo, while elephants and giraffes move along the edges.
Its easy access from Dar es Salaam makes Mikumi a perfect short safari, or the start of a longer southern circuit journey with Ruaha, Udzungwa and Nyerere.
Safaris to 中文
Mikumi safaris
Short safaris from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar, and southern circuit itineraries that include Mikumi.
Tanzania · 7 days
7-Day Southern Circuit: Mikumi, Udzungwa & Ruaha
Mikumi · Udzungwa · Ruaha
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 4 days
4-Day Southern Circuit: Mikumi & Udzungwa
Mikumi
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 5 days
5-Day Southern Circuit: Mikumi & Selous
Mikumi · Nyerere
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 8 days
8-Day Southern Circuit: Mikumi, Ruaha & Selous
Nyerere · Mikumi · Ruaha
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 7 days
7-Day Southern Circuit: Selous, Mikumi & Saadani
Nyerere · Mikumi · Saadani
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 7 days
7-Day Southern Circuit: Selous, Mikumi & Bagamoyo
Nyerere · Mikumi · Bagamoyo
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 8 days
8-Day Southern Circuit: Selous, Mikumi, Saadani & Bagamoyo
Nyerere · Mikumi · Saadani · Bagamoyo
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Tanzania · 13 days
13-Day Southern Circuit: Selous, Mikumi, Udzungwa & Ruaha
Nyerere · Mikumi · Ruaha
Private & tailor-madePrice on requestView trip
Stay in 中文
Where to stay near Mikumi
From friendly camps on the edge of the park to an exclusive camp on a kopje inside it.
Silver tier
Mikumi, TanzaniaCamp BastianA cozy family-run chalet camp in green gardens at the gateway to Mikumi, with a pool, nightly bonfire and bicycles to boFamily-run chalet campView lodge
Gold tier
Mikumi, TanzaniaMikumi Adventure LodgeA fun, affordable adventure lodge in the forest just outside Mikumi's main gate, with rooms, cottages, bush tents and caForest adventure lodgeView lodge
Platinum tier
Mikumi, TanzaniaStanley's Kopje CampMikumi's only camp set on a kopje: twelve tented suites commanding 360° views over the Mkata flood plain and its waterhoIn-park kopje campView lodge
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Usually replies within minutesHeritage
The story behind Mikumi.
The Mikumi area lies on an ancient trade route between the coast and the interior, and the explorer Henry Morton Stanley passed through these lands in 1871. The Borassus palms that gave the village its name have long been a landmark of the area.
Mikumi was gazetted as a national park in 1964 and later extended, forming part of a vast protected landscape with Nyerere National Park to the south. The main highway through the park makes it one of the most accessible wildlife areas in Tanzania.
Is Mikumi worth visiting?
Yes. Mikumi offers excellent wildlife, easy access from Dar es Salaam and the open Mkata floodplain, ideal for short safaris.
How far is Mikumi from Dar es Salaam?
About 288 km, or around four hours by road.
How many days do I need in Mikumi?
One or two nights is ideal. Mikumi can also be visited on a long day trip from Dar es Salaam.
When is the best time to visit Mikumi?
June to October offers the best game viewing, but the park can be visited year-round.
What animals can I see in Mikumi?
Elephants, lions, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, eland, hippos, crocodiles and more.
Can Mikumi be combined with Zanzibar?
Yes. Short Mikumi safaris from Zanzibar are popular, combining wildlife with a beach holiday.
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