Mkomazi National park
Mkomazi National Park is located in in the northern region of Tanzania and it is covered by 3,500 square kilometers of dry. The imposing Pare and Usambara mountains encircle Mkomazi, making it a truly amazing area of wilderness. Mount Kilimanjaro is visible in the distance, across the plains, towering over the surroundings.
Compared to other northern Safari circuit parks, Mkomazi is one of the less well-known national parks. But Mkomazi National Park’s charm can have a magical impact on those who visit. It is located between the Tanga and Kilimanjaro regions. The Mkomazi National Park was first established in 1951 as a game reserve before being given national park status in 2006.
The Acacia-Commiphora plant family makes up the majority of the national park’s diverse vegetation. The Mkomazi national park shares the same ecosystem with Kenya’s Tsavo West National Park. Additionally, there are ancient Baobab trees, rocky hills, grey-green Nyika bush, and savannah woodlands throughout the Mkomazi national park. The Umba Game Reserve and the Mkomazi Game Reserve, located in the east and west, respectively, make up the majority of Mkomazi ecosystem. The region is referred to as Mkomazi-Umba Game Reserves in government documents.
Although Mkomazi National Park is home to a variety of wildlife, African wild dogs and black rhinos are the most photogenic creatures. Both are considered endangered species. Other animals are also visible, including the giraffe, Oryx, gerenuk, hartebeest, lesser kudu, eland, impala, and Grant’s gazelle, as well as the elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, and cheetah. In comparison to other national parks on the Northern Circuit, Mkomazi National Park is also less expensive. In addition to animals, the national park has a wide variety of bird species with more than 400 different bird species.
The Serengeti National Park is one of the most popular safari destinations in Africa due to the sheer abundance of wildlife and the spectacle of the Great Migration. An estimated 90,000 people visit the national park every year. The Serengeti has evolved into the safari highlight for many wildlife enthusiasts due to many wonders it host such as The Great Migration and the African big fives. After making several appearances in nature documentaries like Planet Earth, BBC, and many others, the park has become noticeably more well-known. Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park is located in the country’s most northern region, bordering Kenya’s Maasai Mara. This article will give you all the information you need to know about the Serengeti National Park if you intend to travel to this extraordinary and breathtaking place.
WHY VISIT MKOMAZI NATIONAL PARK?
- The Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary is a private refuge in this area, especially for black rhinos, which are in danger of extinction.
- Since the Park experiences very little annual precipitation, game drives along the river are worthwhile.
- Other threatened species, such as the African wild dogs, which are not typically found in northern safari locations, are also housed in Mkomazi National Park.
- With more than 400 different bird species, Mkomazi National Park is a great place to go on a Tanzania birding safari.
MKOMAZI NATIONAL PARK: WILDLIFE
The national park is home to a wide range of predators, large herbivores, common game, and birdlife. Lions, leopards, cheetahs, African wild dogs, elephants, wildebeest, giraffes, topis, and zebras are among the 78 mammals.
The Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary welcomes visitors to see the endangered black rhino, whose population is rapidly dwindling. Sightings of migratory herds of zebra and wildebeest moving from the neighboring Tsavo West National Park are common among safari enthusiasts. One of the major wildlife hotspots and the main place to find crocodiles, monitor lizards, and other reptiles is the Dindira Dam.
There are about 400 different bird species in the region, many of which inhabit typical savannah environments. Birds like the Shelley’s starling, three-streaked tchagra, southern ground hornbill, and Kori bustard are frequently seen. This park is home to the vulturine guineafowl, one of the more uncommon bird species.
MKOMAZI NATIONAL PARK: UNIQUE DIVERSITY
Mkomazi National Park, which means “little water” in the local Pare language and is one of Tanzania’s driest regions, is home to an incredibly diverse array of plants and animals, including many endemic species. Over half of the 1500 plant species that have been discovered so far are unique. More than 400 bird species have been recorded there, including the endangered Violet Woodhoopoe, Friedmann’s Lark, Somali Long-billed Crombec, and Yellow-vented Eremomela.
CONSERVATION: MKOMAZI NATIONAL PARK
Together with Tsavo West National Park, Mkomazi National Park constitutes one of the world’s largest and most significant protected ecosystems. In the 1980s, Mkomazi had seen a sharp decline in species and a loss of more than 50% of its natural vegetation due to years of unrestricted hunting and grazing. Elephant poaching and the extinction of the black rhinoceros were the two most significant events. In the 1960s, more than 400 black rhinos could be found in the Mkomazi savanna. There were none by the late 1980s.
The Department of Wildlife of the Government of Tanzania granted priority project status to the restoration of Mkomazi Game Reserve in 1989.
The George Adamson Wildlife Preservation Trusts (UK and USA), their field director Tony Fitzjohn, and his team of Tanzanian employees were invited to collaborate with the Department of Wildlife on this program of habitat restoration, infrastructure development, endangered species programs, and community outreach programs. Mkomazi was rescued from destruction. Along with the Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary, a facility for breeding African wild dogs was built. African wild dogs have been bred and released into the larger area of the park, and black rhino have been reintroduced into the heavily guarded sanctuary.
The park and its wildlife have continued to thrive since Mkomazi was upgraded to national park status in 2008 and placed under the administration and control of Tanzania National Parks Authority (TANAPA). In both of its sanctuaries, TANAPA offers rhino viewing; these are exceptional chances to get close to this critically endangered species.
Any conservation project’s success depends heavily on the participation and support of the local community. Rafiki wa Faru, which translates to “Friend of the Rhino” in Swahili, is an environmental education program created by the Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary and Save the Rhino. The goal of this program is to increase community support for the park by educating residents about the value of conservation and how it can directly benefit local communities, particularly by generating job opportunities.
MKOMAZI NATIONAL PARK: SAFARIS AVAILABLE
On a guided game drive, you can best explore the Mkomazi wilderness’s variety of scenes and contrasting ecosystems. During the cooler hours of the day, when predators are most active, game drives through the park are typically conducted. Adventuresome guides drive through isolated wilderness areas, introducing tourists to rare sightings.
A park ranger-led guided walking safari is available to visitors. The shorter walks meander around the Dindira Dam, which is home to a variety of reptiles. The longer, harder walks start at the Zange gate and go over different terrain. Visitors can learn about these threatened, extinct-looking animals at a rhino sanctuary.
GETTING TO MKOMAZI NATIONAL PARK
By Road: From Arusha, you can drive to Mkomazi National Park. Driving from Arusha takes about 250 km (3 hours).
By Air: Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), which is halfway between Arusha and Moshi, is where you can fly to get to Mkomazi. Charter flights are another option for getting to Kisima Airstrip from Arusha Airport.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT MKOMAZI NATIONAL PARK
Mkomazi National Park is open all year, but there is never a bad time to go if you want to see a lot of wildlife. The best time to see wildlife in the park is generally during the dry season, which runs from June to October. The Wet season, which runs from November to May, is when the scenery and mountain views are at their best, but the park isn’t a great place to see wildlife. Also during the wet season Elephants from Tsavo are currently migrating into the park, and this is the best time to see them.
