When Is the Best Time to Go to Mikumi National Park?
You can see game in Mikumi National Park throughout the year. The best time to visit, though, is during the dry season from late June to end-October.
One of the reasons for this is that, in the dry season, animals congregate around two watering holes. This makes them particularly easy to spot in large numbers.
After driving around for a while looking at the scenery and seeing whatever animals we were lucky enough to chance upon, we decided mid-morning to visit one of the watering holes to watch the animals as they drank.
As we approached the watering hole, we found a pride of not 1, not 2, but 7(!) lions lazing around under a tree.
We stopped to watch them, mesmerized, hoping they would do something interesting for us.
Alas, other than one lion that slept on its back, limbs in the air (I didn’t know lions did that), they just kept on lying about languidly.
We went on to the watering hole, where just as we were arriving, a herd of elephants arrived too.
There were other animals around—wildebeest, zebra, and giraffes—but our guide told us that it was the hierarchy of the jungle for elephants to drink first.
We watched them as they slowly and majestically drank their fill.
As they made to leave, something in the corner of our eye caught our attention.
The Lion Chase
Out of nowhere, something whizzed through the herd of animals that were waiting to drink.
Some animals got out of the way, but the rest, most notably the giraffes, stood at attention.
The atmosphere was tense!
We came to realize that a lioness had tried to steal a wildebeest calf from the herd. When she failed, she ran away quickly to hide in the tall grass.
Luckily for us, although the other animals couldn’t see her, we could see her perfectly.
We watched her pant as she tried to catch her breath and hoped she would make another attempt.
I couldn’t believe I had just witnessed a real-life lion hunt!
READ ALSO: Breakfast at Tan-Swiss Lodge & Visiting Mikumi National Park, Tanzania
The lioness did not make a second attempt, so after a while, we decided to break for lunch.
The lunch area at Mikumi National Park was also a surprise.
Out of nowhere came this scene that made me think of the way celebrations in American farm country are depicted in the movies.
It was unlike any lunch area I had ever seen at another park in Tanzania.
Our guide told us that it had been specifically built for a visit to the park by President Obama. Sadly, he never did visit the park.
Amused, we sat down and took advantage of this unusual lunch area. After that, we continued on with our safari.
Half-Day or Full-Day Mikumi Safari?
My friends and I debated for a long time whether we should book a half-day or full-day safari.
In hindsight, we found the full-day safari long and exhausting.
If I were to do it again (and money were not an issue), I’d book two half-day safaris instead. I’d do one in the evening and one the following morning. After all, those are the best times to view game anyhow.
The middle of the afternoon in Tanzania is just too hot! That’s true for animals too. During this time, they often hide away under some shade and can be difficult to see.
Early- to mid-afternoon on a safari can often be a let-down after the excitement of the morning. Also, it can wear you out so that you don’t fully enjoy the evening when the sun begins to set and the animals come out again.
The Trees of Mikumi National Park
Our early afternoon in Mikumi National Park was rather slow even though we took the opportunity to learn about different trees in the park.
We learned that Mikumi National Park got its name from the mikuki tree, and we also got to climb a baobab tree that was over 500 years old!
The safari picked up again late in the afternoon when we began to see lots of elephants and went to the other watering hole, the Hippo Pool, where we saw a beautiful sunset as well as got to watch hippos and crocodiles.
We were out of the park by 7:00 p.m. as the regulation requires for visitors not spending the night in Mikumi National Park. Off we went back to the lodge to enjoy the last evening of our trip.
They say familiarity breeds contempt, which may be why so many people undervalue the Mikumi National Park safari experience.
Having visited 6 other protected areas in Tanzania including the great Serengeti and the Ngorongoro Crater, I truly believe that Mikumi National Park is as authentic a safari experience as any other in the country.
If you are in Dar es Salaam and have only a few days to travel or are on a limited budget (or are looking for something to do over the weekend), I recommend it wholeheartedly.
Have you been to Mikumi National Park? If so, do you agree with me? What would you like to share with others about your travel experiences at this park? Let me know in the comment section below!
Until the next time,
Biche