Mkomazi National Park
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
“Excellent planning and preparation. So many things could have gone wrong. Thanks to Access 2 Tanzania’s tireless work in paying attention to detail everything worked very smoothly. From the time we met Maningo at the airport in Kilimanjaro till we took off in a 14 seater airplane from the Serengeti plains there was not one snafu. We were greeted at every camp site by someone who knew who we were. We were given lodging instructions and checked in with out a problem. The food was very good and even though we ate salad greens no one got sick. Our driver/guide, Maningo always had bottles of water for us on game drives. Maningo washed the land cruiser every night so we never had a dirty vehicle.”