Mkomazi National Park

About Mkomazi National Park

The Park is located in the in the northern part of Tanzania within Kilimanjaro and Tanga Regions. In the northern part, the park borders Tsavo west National Park in Kenya

The park lies about 120 kilometers east of Moshi town

The park fall into Mkomazi-Tsavo Ecosystem, which is the second largest trans-boundary ecosystem in East Africa After the famous one, Serengeti- Mara Ecosytem.

Mkomazi along the Umba River, hosts a number of rare colobus monkeys which move with its riverine forests.

The park has a semi-arid climate with bimodal rainfall distribution pattern

The southern Extension of the ‘’Sahel’’ habitat characterized by Acacia-Commiphora species is found in the Park.

The Park is rich in mammal species where about eighteen (18) have been reported including the big five. Over 450 species of birds have been recorded in the Park.

Mkomazi National Park has a number of uniqueness’s .It is among few protected areas in Tanzania with large and visible population of gerenuk and massive concentration of Beisa Oryx.

This park is one of the richest savannahs in Africa and possibly in the world in terms of the number of rare and endemic fauna and flora evidenced by the presence of wild dogs and black rhinoceros.

Book your visit to the Rhino sanctuary and MamboViewPoint

The Mkomazi National Park is a magnificent, 3,500 square kilometre national park in northern Tanzania. Remote and initially inaccessible, it was established in 1951, but never attracted the financial support provided for the better known wildlife strongholds such as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the Serengeti National Parks. Only since 1989, when the Tanzanian Government re-examined the reserve’s status and designated it a National Priority Project, has its true significance and importance been recognized. Nowadays it is good accessible. From MamboViewPoint it is only one and a half hour drive to the Kivingo entrance.

The Mkomazi National Park is a spectacular wilderness. Within sight to the northwest is Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest summit. To the south, the Pare and Usambara Mountains form a dramatic backdrop and, to the north, Kenya’s vast Tsavo National Park shares a border with Mkomazi, making common ground for migratory herds of elephant, oryx and zebra during the wet season. Together with Tsavo, it forms one of the largest and most important protected ecosystems on earth.

Mkomazi is the southern tip of the Sahel zone. It is a classic dry-country reserve of grey-green nyika bush, ancient baobab trees and isolated rocky hills. Elsewhere, the seas of bush give way to open savannah woodlands of umbrella acacias and mbugas – shallow valleys of grassland.

The animals, too, are typical of the arid nyika. Giraffe, oryx, gerenuk, hartebeest, lesser kudu, eland, impala and Grant’s gazelle share the reserve with elephant, buffalo, and numerous predators, including lion, leopard and cheetah. In all, 78 species of mammals have been recorded.

The birds of Mkomazi are even more numerous, with over 400 recorded species. Doves, hornbills, weavers and guinea-fowl are all present in large numbers – as well as such striking species as the martial eagle and violet wood-hoopoe.

Why should you go to Mkomazi Park?

  • The park is not well known and because of that it has its charme. It’s not crowdy and the animals are acting natural.
  • Almost all species can be found.
  • Mkomazi is vital refuge for two highly endangered species, the charismatic black rhino and sociable African wild dog
  • It’s a cheap alternative for the northern national parks
  • A game reserve since 1951, this new National Park takes its name from a word from Pare tribe denoting “scoop of water”, referring to little water. It is a fantastic destination for birdwatchers, with more than 450 avian species recorded, among them are the dry – country endemics such as the cobalt – chested vulturine guinea-fowl, other large ground birds such as ostrich, kori bustard, secretary bird, ground hornbill and some migratory species including the Eurasian roller.
  • Location: Northern Tanzania split between Kilimanjaro and Tanga administrative regions. The park borders on the west the Tsavo National Park in Kenya. The Zange entrance gate lies 112 km (69 miles) from Moshi, 550 km (341 miles) from Mwalimu J. K. Nyerere International Airport – Dar es Salaam, 142 km (88.7 miles) from Kilimanjaro International Airport, 120 km (75 miles) from Kilimanjaro National Park and 6 km (3.7 miles) from the town of Same.
  • How to get there: By road, Mkomazi is easily accessible via Same, which lies on the surfaced highway connecting Arusha to Dar es Salaam. The Park is also easily accessible on special arrangement through Njiro, Kivingo and Umba gates. The park can also be easily accessed from the nearby existing tourist attractions in Eastern Arc Mountains, The Coast and Kilimanjaro Mountain. Charter flights are available to Kisima airstrip.
  • What to do: Game drives, camping, site seeing, bird watching, walking safari, and hiking (uphill). Learn more about conservation and rhinoceros at Mkomazi rhino sanctuary.
  • Accommodation:  There is one semi – permanent tented camp near the Park headquarters. Few designated basic campsites where one must bring his/her own camping gears and food. There are sever

 

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

Weather
Tanzania Travel Facts
Safety
What to Pack
Meals On Safari

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