Mikumi National Park is in the southern part of Tanzania. It is often compared to the more famous Serengeti Plains because of its wide open spaces and large number of animals. The Selous Game Reserve is right next to the park on the south. Together, the park and the game reserve make a unique environment. There is a better chance of seeing lions climbing trees here than in other parks.

Mikumi National Park has a lot of wildlife.

There are many kinds of animals in the park, but most people come to see the “Big Five”: the cheetah, the lion, the elephant, the buffalo, and the rhino. You will love your trip to Tanzania, it’s a great spot. One of the best things about the area is the hippos that live in two mud pools. You can find these 5 km north of the main entrance gate. A group of moving water birds looks out for them.

There is a large area in Mikumi National Park called the Mkata Foodplain that is great for seeing wildlife. Lions watch over their grassy kingdom and the groups of zebra, wildebeest, impala, and buffalo that move through it from the flat tops of termite mounds or, when it rains, from high up in the trees. Giraffes eat in the solitary acacia stands that line the Mkata River. Mikumi’s elephants also like these bits of shade. Eland, the world’s biggest antelope, can often be seen in Mkata Foodplain, which is one of the best places in Tanzania to do so. The foothills of the mountains that rise from the borders of Mikumi National Park are home to the equally impressive greater kudu and sable antelope.

Avian Life in Mikumi

More than 400 kinds of birds live in Mikumi, making it a great place for bird watchers.

Open-billed Storks fishing in the Mkata River are a sight to behold. In Mikumi National Park, you can often see the Francolin, the Cattle egret, the Hornbill, the Red-billed oxpecker, the Black-bellied bustard, the Marabou stork, and the Malachite Kingfisher. The Yellow-throated long claw, the Lilac-breasted roller, and the Bateleur eagle are the one species that has the most color. During the rainy season, there are a lot of European refugees in Mikumi National Park.

Time it takes to get to Mikumi National Park

4 hours from Dar es Salaam to Mikumi

Miyako Selous: It’s best to fly

Udzungwa to Mikumi: 1 to 2 hours

It takes 5–6 hours to fly or drive from Ruaha to Mikumi.

Advice from our pros on how to visit Mikumi National Park
Aaron here. I’ve been a ranger at Mikumi National Park for 10 years. While the Big 5 can be seen in Mikumi, they are not as easy to find as they are in the northern parks. Most of our guests are amazed by the birds and hippos.

How long are you staying? One or two days

Here are some suggestions for when and how to be there best:

The park isn’t open from March to May, so I suggest you avoid those months. The best time to visit is from June to October.
Put this park at the start of your trip so that it builds up in the right way. Selous and Ruaha are without a doubt the highlights.
Do not drive from Mikumi to Selous at the same time. It would take all day to drive that far, and the roads aren’t very good, so this should be done by plane.
Which hotel?

Mikumi doesn’t have as fancy of hotels as some other national parks. Taking this into account, though, I would suggest:

The Silver Camp Bastian
The Golden Vuma Hills
Stanley’s Kopje Camp (Gold)