Best known for : Because of its accessibility, it is one of the most popular Parks in Tanzania and is an important centre for education where students go to study ecology and conservation. It is named after a village, which in turn takes its name from the Kiswahili word for the Borassus palm which once grew there abundantly. Its annexed location to Selous lends to its reputation for diversity and abundance of wildlife.

Location : Mikumi National Park is found astride the main Dar es Salaam to Mbeya highway, to the north of Selous Game Reserve, and only 285 kilometres west of Dar es Salaam. Mikumi is en route to both Ruaha and Udzungwa Mountains National Parks.

Size : Mikumi National Park covers an area of 3,230 square kilometres and is the third largest Park in Tanzania. However it forms part of the Selous ecosystem, the world’s largest game reserve.

Wildlife : Besides resident lions that are known to climb trees, other species found here include: great herds of buffalo, elephant, eland, giraffe, hartebeest, hippo, impala, leopard, warthog, African Wild dog and wildebeest. Mikumi's elephant are primarily known to be grazers, although they sometimes browse on trees. The Hippo Pools area has large numbers of hippo (funnily enough!) as well as being frequented by flocks of Open-billed storks fishing for molluscs. A rare sighting and hence a privilege to see are the Greater Kudu – the grey coloured males having the regal twisted horns stretching up and slightly apart from the tops of their heads, and the fawn-coloured, hornless smaller females. Bohors reedbuck is found in the swamp areas. A reptile species called a Water Monitor is also a common resident. Observation towers above the tree line offer spectacular views in the wet season over the plains below.
Over 300 species of birds have been observed in the Park, some of which are Eurasian migrants who stay between October and April. Species found in the swamp areas include the Saddle billed stork, and Hamerkop.

Environment : The Mikumi Floodplain is the main feature of the Park along with the bordering mountain ranges. The flood plain of the Mkata River occupies the centre of the Park north and west of the main road yet east of the river itself and can be divided into 3 areas: