Expert Reviews of Mikumi National Park (5 Reviews)

Although the busy Tanzam Highway cuts straight through Mikumi National Park, detracting somewhat from its wilderness atmosphere, the park nevertheless offers rewarding wildlife viewing. Its broad floodplains support healthy populations of plains game, attracting predators as well as large numbers of elephants, giraffes and buffalo. Game viewing is generally at its best during the dry season, when the grass is short and animals congregate around waterholes. Our most recent visit, however, was in June after good rains, and the tall grass made wildlife far harder to find. Sightings were relatively sparse, but that's simply the unpredictability that makes every safari different.

For many years, Mikumi was an ideal overnight stop on the drive from Dar es Salaam to Ruaha National Park. Unfortunately, the journey has become increasingly frustrating, with heavy truck traffic, lengthy delays through Mikumi village and frequent police checkpoints making the drive both slow and stressful.

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As a result, most visitors now arrive by air from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar, either for a day trip or a short safari. Mikumi works well as a convenient introduction to Tanzania's wildlife, but, on its own, it lacks the wilderness appeal of the country's premier safari destinations.