Description: Set below the verdant slopes of the spectacular Usambara and Pare Eastern Arc Mountain ranges and overseen by the iconic snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro, Mkomazi is a breathtaking park, exhibiting unique natural treasures and an immense sense of space. A game reserve since 1951, this new National Park takes its name from Pare tribe’s word for “scoop of water,” referring to little water. Mkomazi is a vital refuge for two highly endangered species, the charismatic black rhino and sociable African wild dog, both of which were successfully reintroduced in the 1990s.
Location: Northern circuit, 3.5 hours from Moshi
Things 2 Do: Game Drives, Guided Walks, Night Game Drives, Sundowners, Visits to Conservation Projects
Time: 2 nights is optimal given the transit time to get to/from the park.
Animals: Giraffe, oryx, gerenuk, hartebeest, lesser kudu, eland, impala and grant’s gazelle share the park with elephants, buffalo and numerous predators including lions, leopards and cheetah. With over 450 species of birds recorded at the park, it is a birder’s paradise. And don’t forget the conservation work being done with black rhinos and wild dogs!
Accommodations:
$$$
Babu’s Camp
Mkomazi Wilderness Retreat
“Outstanding. We have recommended you to all of our traveler friends. We cannot recommend Access 2 Tanzania highly enough. They were referred to us by a friend and we were immediately attracted by the nonprofit component of the company that supports education for Tanzanian children in need. Casey helped us over several phone sessions and email exchanges to put together the perfect trip for our needs. Our guide, Joachim, was a wonderful companion and friend throughout our 12 day safari. He ensured that we saw everything that we could possibly have seen far beyond our best expectations, including lions, cheetahs, and leopards with cubs and with kills, tons of elephants, giraffe, zebras, hippos, antelopes of various kinds, and every other imaginable animal. We were able to witness the migration of the wildebeasts across the Mara River from Kenya and on throughout the Serengeti in their long lines, stretching from one horizon to the other. He was also extremely helpful in aiding us in finding and identifying the many, many birds of Tarangire, Ngorongoro, and Serengeti, which was of particular interest to us. A2T provided us with an amazing experience and we would definitely use them again and highly recommend them to others.”