Mikumi National Park

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 through southern Tanzania. However, because it is bisected by the surfaced main road connecting Dar es Salaam to Zambia, it has less of a wilderness feel than some other reserves in Tanzania, and it is often seen as a slightly second-rate option. This, in my view, is grossly unfair: away from that single ribbon of asphalt, Mikumi supports some impressive volumes of wildlife, particularly on the Mkata floodplain, which recalls the Serengeti in scenic feel, and often hosts large herds of giraffe, elephant, buffalo, zebra, eland and other antelope. Predator sightings are less frequent than in some parks, but lions are often seen lazing below shady acacias (on our most recent visit we actually found two different pairs mating less than 1km/0.6mi apart) and spotted hyenas are vociferous by night. Endangered African wild dogs occasionally range across to Mikumi from the Selous, but less regularly than they did a few years back. All in all, it is a great little reserve, offering some good wildlife viewing and – away from the road – an untrammelled feel bolstered by the very low tourist traffic.