MKOMAZI NATIONAL PARK
In the foothills of the spectacular Usambara and Pare Eastern Arc Mountain Ranges and with Kilimanjaro in the distance, Mkomazi is a beautiful place filled with nature and scenery. An unexpected jewel set between the well-known parks of the Northern circuit and the spectacular coastline of the Tanga- Pangani area.
Minutes from a major highway, that connects Tanzania’s North to Dar Es Salaam and the South, this little gem is not well known and therefore seldom visited. It is an unexpected surprise that within half an hour of driving from this highway, one can be viewing herds of giraffe, zebra, hartebeest, eland, elephant, buffalo, and more.
Mkomazi is a vital refuge for two highly endangered species, the black rhino and the African wild dog, both of which were successfully reintroduced in the 1990s. Nomadic by nature, wild dogs might be seen almost anywhere in the park, however the black rhinos are restricted to a fenced sanctuary, with a smaller fenced enclosure having just been completed for use by tourism.
Mkomazi is home to a few species that are difficult to find in other parts of Tanzania. The three in particular are the lesser kudu, the fringe-eared oryx, and last but not least the gerenuk – known as swala twiga in Swahili meaning the gazelle giraffe.
Bird watchers also have a field day in this park. The location of the park, its proximity with the Tsavo ecosystem in Kenya allows for more than 450 bird species to be recorded – vulturine guinea-fowl probably being the most famous of this lot and of course, there are countless others including quite a few ground birds such as ground hornbill, kori bustard, ostrich, and secretary bird. Mkomazi is also a migratory path for many bird species. Finally, Mkomazi is the first transfrontier national park in Tanzania.
Location
Northern Tanzania split between Kilimanjaro and Tanga administrative regions. The park borders on the west the Tsavo National Park in Kenya.
The Zange entrance gate lies 112 km (69 miles) from Moshi, 550 km (341 miles) from Mwalimu J. K. Nyerere International Airport – Dar es Salaam, 142 km (88.7 miles) from Kilimanjaro International Airport, 120 km (75 miles) from Kilimanjaro National Park and 6 km (3.7 miles) from the town of Same.
How to get there
By road, Mkomazi is easily accessible via Same, which lies on the surfaced highway connecting Arusha to Dar es Salaam. The Park is also easily accessible on special arrangements through Njiro, Kivingo, and Umba gates. The park can also be easily accessed from the nearby existing tourist attractions in the Eastern Arc Mountains, The Coast, and Kilimanjaro Mountain. Charter flights are available to Kisima airstrip.
Did you know ?
Mkomazi derives its name from the Pare-ethnic language; “Mko and Mazi”. “Mko” which means a traditional tiny wooden spoon used by the Pare people for eating and “Mazi” which means water.
This means that the water in the Park is hardly enough to fill up a wooden spoon.
