Mikumi is Tanzania's third biggest and easily reached parks and covers around 3230 sq km. It is situated just 3 hours drive from Dar es Salaam on the main highway down to Zambia.
It is a relatively quiet park in terms of visitors and away from the main road there is plenty of wildlife - Mikumi is well worth a stop for a couple of nights.
Mikumi is surrounded by mountains and forested foothills which almost enclose the flood plain of the Mkata river. To the east rises the 2743 metre massif of the Uluguru ranges while to the south west is seen the craggy-peaks of the Lumango mountains. The hog backed ridges of the Mbesera, Madzini and Mazunyungu hills sweep round northward and westward.
To the far south is the Udzungwa Mountains National Park, gazetted in 1992, which is part of the Eastern Arc Mountains which include the Usambaras. It is possible to visit the Udzungwas as a day trip from Mikumi.
The southern border of the park now joins the Selous Game Reserve providing a valuable wildlife corridor. Most species of East African large mammals can be found here and mostly seen are elephant, giraffe, buffalo, zebra, eland, wildebeest and lion. Also present but harder to see are wild dogs and leopard. There are some unusual antelelope species such as Greater Kudu and Sable Antelope. Baboons, Vervet Monkeys and Blue Monkeys are often found here.
The northern part of the park (north of the main road) is dominated by Mkata Floodplain and the southern half which is quite hilly, remains very wild. Several water courses flow into the plains from hills and mountains on three sides of the park.
Travelling north from the park headquarters you cross the floodplains with hippo pools and excellent birding. There are some very large crocodiles here too.
Mikumi has a variety of vegetation areas making it a haven for birds with over 400 species recorded here. Best time for birding can be October to April when Eurasian migrants are present.
