Mikumi National Park

Mikumi National Park shows a different side of Tanzania on the southern safari circuit. Its open grassland and woodland spread around the wide Mkata Floodplain, where wildlife stands out against a broad, open landscape. The park is home to elephant, lion, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, wildebeest, hippo and many kinds of antelope.

The Mkata Floodplain is the heart of a Mikumi game drive. With few trees to block the view, it is easy to scan the plains for grazing herds and the predators that follow them, and the wide scenery suits photography. Compared with the busier northern parks, Mikumi feels quiet and uncrowded.

The park lies on the main road between Dar es Salaam and the southern safari areas, so you can drive in and combine it with Nyerere or Ruaha National Park. It is also the easiest safari to add to a beach holiday. We run one-day and two-day flying safaris from Zanzibar, with flights to Kikoboga airstrip, game drives and, on the two-day trip, a night near the park and a visit to a Maasai boma.