Mikumi National Park Guide
The open-plains park closest to Zanzibar: what you can see, what it costs to enter, and the quickest ways to get there.
The park in brief
Mikumi covers about 3,230 km² of grassland, woodland and hills in central-southern Tanzania and has been a national park since 1964. Its heart is the Mkata floodplain, a wide open plain with scattered baobabs and palms, where you can see animals from far away. The main road from Dar es Salaam to Zambia crosses the park, which makes it easy to reach by road as well as by air.
What you can see
Elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, wildebeest and impalas are common, and hippos gather in the park's hippo pools. Lions are seen fairly often, and leopards occasionally, in the trees along the rivers. Birdlife is rich all year, from lilac-breasted rollers to marabou storks. As in every park, wild animals move freely and no sighting can be promised.
Park fees
The official TANAPA tariff (the latest published, for 2023/24) sets Mikumi's entry fee at US$35.40 per adult and US$11.80 per child for each 24 hours, including 18% VAT, and a camping-concession fee of US$29.50 per person per night for stays in the park. All our trip prices already include the park fees.
Getting there
- From Zanzibar by air: about an hour in a small plane to the airstrip inside the park. This is how our day trips and fly-in safaris travel.
- From Zanzibar by ferry and train: the fast ferry to Dar es Salaam (about two hours), the SGR train to Morogoro and the road from there. Cheaper, but a long day each way.
- From Dar es Salaam by road: about 300 km, roughly five hours with a stop.
When to go
Mikumi is open all year. June to October is dry, the grass is short and animals gather near the water, so it is the easiest time for game viewing. From about November to May the plains turn green; the heaviest rain usually falls from March to May. See the best time to go.
Questions
Is Mikumi good for a first safari?
Yes. The open plains make animals easy to see, the flight from Zanzibar is short, and a day trip is possible.
Can you see the Big Five in Mikumi?
Elephants, buffalo and lions are seen regularly and leopards occasionally. Rhinos are not part of a Mikumi safari, so it is not usually called a Big Five park.
How many days do I need?
One day gives you a good taste; two or three days let you see the park in the early morning and evening, the best times for wildlife.
Sources: Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) tariff 2023/24; Wikipedia for the park's size and history.
Trips that go there
1 day · by airMikumi Day Trip from Zanzibar
The quickest safari from the island: open plains where animals are easy to spot, and lunch in the park.
2 days · by air2-Day Mikumi Safari from Zanzibar
An evening and an early-morning game drive, when animals are most active.
3 days · by air3-Day Mikumi Safari from Zanzibar
Game drives on three days and two nights in a lodge or tented camp.