Size: 3,245 km2 (1,253 mi2) Established: 2008 Upgraded from a Game Reserve established in 1951

Main habitats: Semi-arid Acacia bushland

Seasons: dry: June–October wet: November–May

Best visited in the dry season.

Activities: Game drives, guided bush walks, night drives

Mkomazi is located in northeast Tanzania, which shares a boundary with Tsavo National Park. It was established as a National Park in 2008. It is 3,230 sq km in area. It is a place to enjoy wildlife in remote, wild, thorn bush country with open plains in places. The scenery is magnificent. Enormous baobabs dot the landscape, and there are distant vistas with mountains near and far on its borders. Mount Kilimanjaro is easily visible from all parts of the Park.

Wildlife

Being far from the more visited safari circuits, you will likely be watching wildlife there by yourself, unhurried and with time to soak up the ambience of wild Africa. 

Mkomazi used to be a prime habitat for Black Rhino, and there is a re-introduction scheme there where you can watch these exciting mammals in their natural surroundings. The rare Cape Hunting Dog is also being re-introduced, and you can get permission to watch these fascinating animals as well, some of which have been re-introduced to the wild.

Besides the commoner big game species such as elephant, buffalo, giraffe and plains game, and of course the big cats, you will also find unusual antelope such as oryx, gerenuk and lesser kudu. Gerenuk, known as giraffe antelope in Swahili, are elegant medium-sized gazelles with long necks that enable them to reach high into thorn bushes to browse. They even stand up on their hind legs to reach yet higher. Such details of nature are why you visit Mkomazi.

During the short green season (November / December and March / April), the flickering light of fireflies dot the wooded valleys at night.

Activities

• Game viewing by vehicle is the main activity

• Walking safaris

• Night game viewing