Mikumi National Park

Mikumi National Park

The Mikumi National Park near Morogoro, Tanzania, was established in 1964. It covers an
area of 3,230 km² is the fourth largest in the country. The park is crossed by Tanzania’s
A-7 highway. The landscape of Mikumi is often compared to that of the Serengeti. The
road that crosses the park divides it into two areas with partially distinct environments.
The area north-west is characterized by the alluvial plain of the river basin Mkata. The
vegetation of this area consists of savannah dotted with acacia, baobab, tamarinds, and
some rare palm. In this area, at the furthest from the road, there are spectacular rock
formations of the mountains Rubeho and Uluguru. The southeast part of the park is less
rich in wildlife, and not very accessible.
The fauna includes many species characteristic of the African savannah. According to local
guides at Mikumi, chances of seeing a lion that climbs a tree trunk is larger than in
Manyara (famous for being one of the few places where the lions exhibit this behavior).
The park contains a subspecies of giraffe that biologists consider the link between the
Masai giraffe and the reticulated or Somali giraffe. Other animals in the park are
elephants, zebras, impala, eland, kudu, black antelope, baboons, wildebeests and
buffaloes. At about 5 km from the north of the park, there are two artificial pools
inhabited by hippos. More than 400 different species of birds also inhabit the park.