Mkomazi National Park Safari: A safari tour to Mkomazi National Park, Tanzania: The wilderness of Mkomazi National Park is just breathtaking! It is a typical dry region and serves as a base for migrating herds. You can observe the critically endangered black rhino when you visit the rhino sanctuary! Mkomazi National Park is located in Northern Tanzania just adjacent the majestic Mount Kilimanjaro. It was established in 1951, although at first it was far away and hard to get to.
Today, Mkomazi National Park is a very accessible wilderness that is truly amazing! Africa’s tallest mountain, Kilimanjaro, is visible in the northwest of the park. The Pare and Usambara mountains also provide a striking backdrop in the south. The Mkomazi National Park is bordered to the north by Kenya’s Tsavo National Park. One of the biggest and most significant protected habitats is formed by these two parks. Elephant, Oryx, and zebra herds can all rely on them as a home base. It has a typical dry landscape with aged baobab trees, gray-green Nyika bush, and solitary rocky hills. In some areas, flat grassland valleys and savannah woodlands with umbrella acacias replace scrub seas.
Wildlife living in Mkomazi National Park
The wildlife in Mkomazi National Park is sparsely populated and often wary. Giraffes, antelopes, kudus, impalas, and Grant’s gazelles are common in the dry environment. They live in the same park as elephants, buffalo, and a wide variety of predators, such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs. On a game drive, you may also occasionally see other animals like dik-diks, zebras, wildebeests, elands, and topis. Here, 78 different species of documented animals can be seen by visitors.
Birds in the Mkomazi national park
In total, the park is home to approximately 400 different bird species. The three-streaked Tchagra and Shelley’s starling are two examples of northern dry region specialties. As a result, bird watchers will love being there! The park is also home to hornbills, weaver birds, guinea fowl, martial eagles, and the purple European hoopoe. Additionally, the stunning vulturine Guinea fowl can only be seen at Mkomazi National Park in Tanzania. The ostrich, Kori bustard, secretary bird, and southern ground hornbill are all frequent, huge birds seen on the grassy plains. Additionally, from November to April, migratory species like the European roller are present.
The most common animals in Mkomazi National Park
- Elephants
- Oryx
- Zebras
- Giraffes
- Lion
- Leopard
- Cheetah
- Antelopes
- Kudu
- Impala and gazelle
- Buffalo
- Hornbills
- Weaver birds
- Guinea fowl
- Martial eagles
- Purple European hooves
Mkomazi National Park Highlights
- View of Kilimanjaro
- Skittish wildlife
- 78 species of recorded mammals
- Fantastic destination for bird watchers
- Rhino Sanctuary
Mkomazi National Park facts
- Area: 3,500 km2
- Established in 1989
- On the southern tip of the Sahel
- Borders Tsavo (Kenya).
Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary
The rare black rhino was brought into the carefully guarded, walled Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary in 1989 after the Tanzanian government invited the George Adamson Wildlife Preservation Trust to collaborate. “Protecting the strongholds” is crucial during the rhino poaching crisis. To make sure that Mkomazi’s rhino population never experiences mass extinction again, local populations must be won over. In order to understand more about conservation initiatives being carried out right now in a Tanzanian national park, Prince William traveled to Mkomazi National Park in 2012.
With the help of their progeny, the Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary hopes to increase the number of black rhinos in Tanzania. Their goal is to create a breeding population of 50 black rhinos. Nearly 30% of Tanzania’s total population of black rhinos live in the Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary. Due to this, the Mkomazi rhinos are crucial to the nation as well as the survival of this endangered species. Prince William attended the Mkomazi educational program at Rafiki Wa Faru while he was in Mkomazi, where kids from 14 nearby communities learned all about rhinos and other animals in the hope that the Mkomazi rhino population won’t ever be decimated by poachers once more.
Travel time to Mkomazi National Park
- From Tanga, it is 4.5 hours’ drive.
- From Pangani: 6 hours’ drive
- From the Usambara Mountains: 5.5 hours’ drive
- From Kilimanjaro: 5 hours’ drive
Best time to visit Mkomazi National Park
The best time to see wildlife in the park is generally during the dry season, which runs from June through October. The wet season, which runs from November to May, is when the beauty and mountain views are at their best, but the park isn’t a great place to see wildlife. Elephants from Tsavo are currently migrating into the park, and this is the best time to watch them.
