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Mikumi Budget Safari Tours
Mikumi National Park is a land of big experiences and big wildlife, and both will be a feature of your Mikumi budget safari. All across the Serengeti-like Mkata Floodplain, elephant, giraffe, buffalo and hippo roam and wallow, and predators such as big cats are never far away. It’s well suited to those looking for a more affordable safari holiday, and although it’s a popular park, it’s big enough to absorb the crowds and retain its unmistakable wilderness feel. Lots of travelers come here on packages and tours that combine a trip to Mikumi with visits to nearby Nyerere National Park (formerly Selous Game Reserve). These are a great idea, but even if you just visit Mikumi and go nowhere else, you’ll still have a fabulous safari experience.
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3-Day Mikumi National Park
$580 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetHotel
You Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Mikumi NP, Dar Es Salaam (End)
Widman Tours & Safari
4.7/5 – 12 Reviews
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3-Day Private Mikumi National Park from Zanzibar by Air
$1,420 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Mikumi NP, Udzungwa Mountains, Zanzibar (End)
Tanz America Safaris
5.0/5 – 6 Reviews
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10-Day Southern Tanzania Wilderness Safari
$2,615 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Nyerere NP, Mikumi NP, Ruaha NP, Udzungwa Mountains, Dar es Salaam (End)
Mtango Safaris & Tours
5.0/5 – 2 Reviews
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3-Day Mikumi' National Park for Outstanding&Comfort Tour
$595 to $615 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Banda
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Mikumi NP, Dar es Salaam (End)
Shammah Wonders Safari
5.0/5 – 79 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
6-Day Southern Circuit- Nature, Culture and Traditions
$1,214 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Shared tour (max 6 people per vehicle)BudgetLodge & Guest House
You Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Maasai Village (Cultural Village), Mikumi NP, Uluguru Mountains (Mountain Range), Nyerere NP, Dar Es Salaam (End)
KAMar Safaris
4.8/5 – 202 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
3-Day Mikumi National Park + Udzungwa NP Safari
$610 to $630 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Banda
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Mikumi NP, Udzungwa Mountains, Dar es Salaam (End)
Smile With Us Tours In Africa
5.0/5 – 127 Reviews
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6-Day Wonders of Mikumi and Ruaha National Park
$1,300 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Mikumi NP, Ruaha NP, Dar Es Salaam (End)
Luitours and Safaris
4.9/5 – 71 Reviews
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3-Day Sunset and Sunrise Game Drive Mikumi National Park
$600 to $610 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Banda
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Mikumi NP, Dar es Salaam (End)
Daily Expeditions
5.0/5 – 49 Reviews
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6-Day Southern Circuit - Southern Higland Safari
$1,198 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Mikumi NP, Udzungwa Mountains, Ruaha NP, Dar es Salaam (End)
African Pangolin Safaris
5.0/5 – 42 Reviews
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5-Day Budget Camping Nyerere and Mikumi National Park
$1,117 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Nyerere NP, Mikumi NP, Dar es Salaam (End)
Safari Moja Matata
5.0/5 – 18 Reviews
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Top Rated Operator
4-Day Nyerere & Mikumi Wildlife Lodge Safari
$900 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Nyerere NP, Mikumi NP, Dar es Salaam (End)
Migration Venture Africa
4.9/5 – 245 Reviews
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3-Day Mikumi and Udizungwa Tour
$750 to $760 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetCamping
You Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Mikumi NP, Dar Es Salaam (End)
Shanga Tours And Safaris
4.9/5 – 7 Reviews
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5-Day Selous GR and Mikumi NP Safari
$1,150 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Banda
You Visit: Dar Es Salaam (Start), Nyerere NP, Mikumi NP, Dar Es Salaam (End)
Gombe Wild Chimp Safari
4.3/5 – 63 Reviews
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6-Day Mikumi and Ruaha Deluxe Safari
$1,350 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Mikumi NP, Ruaha NP, Iringa (City), Dar es Salaam (End)
Afrishare Trekking & Safaris
4.8/5 – 204 Reviews
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6-Day Mikumi Park to Saadani Park Where Beach Meets Bush
$1,590 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetBanda
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Mikumi NP, Saadani NP, Dar es Salaam (End)
Gogiraffe Safaris
5.0/5 – 7 Reviews
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6-Day Selous and Mikumi Unforgettable Experience
$1,270 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Nyerere NP, Nyerere NP, Mikumi NP, Dar es Salaam (End)
Obag African Safaris
4.8/5 – 31 Reviews
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3-Day Mikumi Majestic Safari
$1,000 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge
You Visit: Zanzibar (Start), Mikumi NP, Dar es Salaam (End)
Greg Adventures
4.9/5 – 15 Reviews
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14-Day Southern Tanzania Special Safari
$4,126 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Mikumi NP, Ruaha NP, Mbeya (City), Katavi NP, Dar Es Salaam (End)
Sunday Safaris
5.0/5 – 1 Reviews
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5-Day 4 Nights Mikumi & Ruaha Wildlife Lodge Safari
$1,550 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Mikumi NP, Ruaha NP, Dar es Salaam (End)
Fig Tree Tours and travel
4.6/5 – 24 Reviews
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8-Day Selous, Ruaha and Mikumi Park Safari
$2,050 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Nyerere NP, Mikumi NP, Ruaha NP, Dar es Salaam (End)
Kitonga Tours and Safaris
4.9/5 – 14 Reviews
5 Questions About Mikumi Budget Safaris

Answered by
Anthony Ham
Anthony has written numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, including Tanzania and East Africa. He writes about Tanzania and the wider region for magazines and newspapers worldwide. He is also the author of The Last Lions of Africa.
5 Questions About Mikumi Budget Safaris

What is usually included in a budget trip to Mikumi NP?
“Accommodation (including camping fees and equipment), a guide, driver, vehicle, meals, water, and two daily game drives on most days are usually included in the quoted price of your safari. The price may also include park fees (US$20/10 per adult/child per day). Transfers are sometimes included in quotes, sometimes not. Non-game-drive activities will usually be considered additional costs. When you’re choosing a Mikumi budget safari, there are lots of tours and packages so it really helps to know what’s included. You should always ask your operator for a clear list to make sure you know what you’re paying for, and to avoid any nasty surprise extras when it comes time to pay. Remember, too, that on a really cheap safari, you may need to help with camp chores (such as setting up camp, taking down tents, cooking and washing up).”
1Can you describe a typical day on a Mikumi NP budget safari?
“A typical day on a Mikumi budget safari should include lots of animals and beautiful scenery. It usually begins before dawn with a wake-up call and hot drink, before heading out on an early morning game drive. Along with late afternoon, this is the best time to see the animals because it’s when they’re most active. You’ll probably return to camp mid to late morning when you’ll enjoy a late breakfast or early lunch (which you may be asked to help prepare). Unless it’s a day when you’re moving to different accommodation, you’ll have time to relax during the hottest part of the day, before heading out again for a game drive around 3:30 PM or 4 PM. After returning to camp, you’ll eat dinner and probably swap stories around the campfire. Don’t forget to look up into the sky for an incredible display of stars before heading off to bed in preparation for another early morning start tomorrow.”
2What type of accommodation can I expect on cheap Mikumi NP packages?
“Mikumi National Park has a number of national park campsites inside the park boundaries. These include both normal and special campsites; the latter involve bush camping at a site that, on most tours, you and the rest of your safari group will have to yourselves. At the normal or public campsites, there will be a communal shower and toilet building with separate areas for men and women. There are also simple, park-run bandas (bungalows) with bathrooms and air-con close to the park entrance and within the park’s boundaries. There are many more accommodation choices just outside the park’s main entrance. These are all privately run and come in a range of shapes and sizes. They include campgrounds and simple lodges or motels, and some combine budget campgrounds with midrange hotels where you’re allowed to use the facilities (perhaps even a swimming pool). They can be good places to meet other travelers.”
3How do I avoid the crowds on a Mikumi NP safari?
“To start with, Mikumi may be part of Tanzania’s popular Southern safari circuit, but it’s generally less crowded than other, better-known Tanzanian parks. You can also enjoy a quieter Mikumi experience by choosing to stay at one of the campsites or bandas that are inside the park gates. While those who are staying outside the park queue to get in at dawn each morning, you’re already on your way for your morning game drive within the park itself. The high season runs from June to October. While they’re generally not too busy, these are nonetheless the busiest months to visit. Visiting outside of these months is even quieter. That said, November to May corresponds to the Wet season, so there is a chance that rain can impact upon your safari. On the plus side, the Wet-season months are best for birding, because this is when large numbers of migratory birds are present in the park.”
4How much does a Mikumi NP budget safari cost?
“Prices can vary greatly, but prices for a cheap Mikumi budget safari start at around US$100 to US$150 per person per day. This estimate should include all standard inclusions and the daily park fees (US$20/10 per adult/child per day). It’s a good idea to shop around for quotes from a number of different safari operators: this could be the holiday of a lifetime, and there are numerous different tours and packages to choose from. A variable to take into consideration when calculating the cost of your trip is the season in which you travel. Low season prices should be a little cheaper than those in high season, even at the budget level. There will also be some variation in cost depending on whether you choose a group or self-drive budget safari.”
5Mikumi Reviews

Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.
An Underrated Gem
Little-known Mikumi, an extension of the vast Selous ecosystem, is the country’s fifth-largest national park, and a popular goal for weekend breaks out of the port city Dar es Salaam, or as an initial pit stop on a more extensive safari...


Mary is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including South Africa, Tanzania, East Africa and Africa.
Wildlife Watching Just off the Highway
Mikumi's highlights are its ease of access (it's an easy four-hour drive from Dar es Salaam along the main highway), its reasonably-priced lodges and the chance it offers to see a good array of wildlife within a short amount of time. Every...

Incredible
We did a day safari at Mikumi Park and it was just awesome. I highly recommend having this once in a lifetime experience. I don't know if we were lucky or if it's still the case but we saw lions a few times. The meal was also very good. It...

Amazing wildlife, friendly people and unforgettable moments.
Amazing experience seeing the animals up close in their natural habitats. We were lucky enough to see lions on a hunt, a lot of elephants and giraffe, antilopes, buffalos,... The driver and the guide were excelent. On the day, that we went...
Mikumi was a lovely place to visit and I had a great time seeing all the animals. The only problem was the long drive to get there, which can't be helped, and it would have been nice to have some free time so we could go in the pool and...

It was our first safari and everything was perfect! The car, the camp, she driver! We sow 4/5 big five and a lot of other wild animals! We learned a lot of interesting things about savannah, it was an amazing experience!