Mkomazi is a true highlight within the whole of East Africa. Bordering Kenya’s Tsavo West National Park in northeastern Tanzania, the park is the most distant outpost of the Sahel zone that stretches south from the Sahara Desert. The park was commissioned as a Game Reserve in 1951 has been gazetted a National Park from 2008. Located to the east of Pare Mountains near the Same town, about 190kms from Arusha, Mkomazi National Park lies along the edge of a semi-arid savanna arc that stretches into Kenya’s Tsavo West, falling into the Mkomazi-Tsavo Ecosystem, which is the second-largest trans-boundary ecosystem in East Africa after the famous Serengeti – Maasai Mara.
Before coming under TANAPA authority, with an area of 3,245sq km, was managed by the government as a game reserve. As a national park, the environment is harsh and dry, having many of the features of a semi-desert. The sheer beauty of the landscape, the purity of style to be seen in the tree and shrubs savanna, the striking red, iron-stained soils and colorful flora splendor make mkomazi have the potential to develop into a glorious sanctuary where visitors will have the opportunity to explore more of Tanzania’s hidden natural treasures.
Another significant feature of the park is that it is mostly situated in a pocket in the mountains, which greatly increases the diversity of its flora and fauna. Teeming with small and large mammals, such as silver-backed jackal, lion, cheetah, leopard, giraffe, buffalo, elephant and zebra, easily sighted. It is the only park in Tanzania where one can encounter the rare antelopes that are typical of the Sahel zone, the lesser Kudu, gerenuk, and beisa Oryx – all of them within a short space of time. Furthermore, there is a sanctuary for the endangered black rhino and another one for the wild dog created within the national park to protect these rare species. The Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary has attained international renown for rehabilitating rhino, and it offers viewing and educational opportunities for visitors
Quite a few activities can be conducted in Mkomazi, including game drives, walking safaris, mountain hikes, and bird watching. Mkomazi can be visited throughout the year, with late June to early September best for large mammal and bird watching, Mkomazi National Park would smoothly fit into the Arusha – Usambara – Tanga – Pangani – Saadani – Dar es Salaam / Zanzibar circuit, or maybe visited as a single destination from Arusha or after Kilimanjaro climbing.
The Park is easily accessible by road or air. By Road 202km/ 3hours drive from Arusha town on a good tarmac road of 195km to the village of Same, the last 7km on dirt road from same to the Zange Gate. By air: Private flights are organized by our safari companies from Arusha town.
