Mkomazi National Park

Why visit Mkomazi National Park

Mkomazi National Park lies in north-eastern Tanzania along the Kenyan border, where it forms a single ecosystem with Kenya's Tsavo West. Its landscape of dry savanna, acacia and commiphora bush and rocky inselbergs feels very different from the greener northern parks, and on clear days the views stretch to Kilimanjaro and the Pare and Usambara mountains.

Mkomazi is best known for conservation. A fenced sanctuary protects one of Tanzania's most important black rhino breeding programmes, and the park has been central to the reintroduction of the endangered African wild dog. Elsewhere, dry-country species such as fringe-eared oryx, gerenuk, lesser kudu and eland live alongside giraffe, zebra and elephant, and the birdlife includes many species of the arid north-east. Few vehicles visit, so game drives are quiet and unhurried.

When to go

The drier months, from June to October and from January to February, are best for game drives and road conditions. The rains bring green scenery and good birdwatching.

Mkomazi is about three hours by road from Moshi and suits repeat visitors, conservation-minded travellers and itineraries that link Kilimanjaro, the Usambara Mountains and the coast at Saadani. Ask us to include it in a tailor-made Tanzania trip.