2 Day Mikumi Safari from Dar es Salaam
The easiest safari from Dar es Salaam: drive to Mikumi National Park for afternoon and morning game drives and a night in a tented camp.
- Duration
- 2 days
- Route
- Dar es Salaam – Mikumi National Park – Dar es Salaam
- Start / end
- Starts and ends in Dar es Salaam (pick-up and drop-off at your hotel or Julius Nyerere International Airport)
- Best time
- June to October is the dry season and the best time for game viewing; Mikumi is accessible year-round, though some tracks can be muddy in the long rains of roughly March to May.
- Trip style
- Private safari in a 4x4 Land Cruiser with a pop-up roof and your own driver-guide, staying in a comfortable mid-range tented camp.
Tour overview
Mikumi National Park is the most accessible safari from Dar es Salaam, about 5 hours away by road. Its open Mkata floodplain is often compared to the Serengeti, with lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalo and wildebeest roaming grasslands framed by mountains.
This overnight trip suits expats, business travelers and visitors with a free weekend. You leave Dar in the morning, enjoy an afternoon game drive, sleep in a tented camp in the park and head out again at dawn before driving back to the city the same day.
Highlights
- The closest classic savannah safari to Dar es Salaam
- Afternoon and early-morning game drives
- Elephants, lions, giraffes and buffalo on the Mkata floodplain
- Hippo pools and excellent birdlife
- A night in a tented camp inside the park
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Dar es Salaam to Mikumi, Afternoon Game Drive
Your guide picks you up from your Dar es Salaam hotel early in the morning to beat the city traffic. The drive west to Mikumi takes about 5 hours, passing through Morogoro with the Uluguru Mountains rising beside the road. After checking in and having lunch at camp, set out on an afternoon game drive across the Mkata floodplain, looking for elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, lions and the hippos that wallow in the park's pools. Return to camp at sunset for dinner.
Day 2Morning Game Drive, Return to Dar es Salaam
Rise early for a morning game drive when the air is cool and predators are most active. Mikumi's lions often rest on termite mounds, and the hippo pool is a favorite stop for watching hippos and crocodiles at close range. Return to camp for a late breakfast, then begin the drive of about 5 hours back to Dar es Salaam, with a lunch stop on the way. You are dropped off at your hotel or the airport in the late afternoon or early evening.
What is included
- Private 4x4 Land Cruiser with pop-up roof and professional driver-guide
- Mikumi National Park entrance fees
- 1 night in a tented camp
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
- Pick-up and drop-off in Dar es Salaam
- Game drives as described
Not included
- International flights
- Tanzania visa
- Travel insurance
- Tips for guides and lodge staff
- Drinks unless stated
- Personal items, laundry and souvenirs
Good to know
- The main highway through Mikumi carries heavy traffic; our game drives use the park's tracks away from the road.
- Leaving Dar es Salaam early is important to avoid traffic and make the most of the afternoon game drive.
- Mikumi is in a lower-altitude area where malaria is present; speak to your doctor about prevention.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mikumi worth visiting on a short trip?
Yes. It is the best option for a short safari from Dar es Salaam, with good chances of elephants, giraffes, lions and buffalo on open plains that are easy to explore.
Can we stay longer?
Of course. Adding a night gives you a full day in the park, or see our 4 Day Mikumi and Udzungwa Mountains Safari, which adds a waterfall hike.
Can this trip start from Zanzibar?
Yes. You can take the ferry or a short flight from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam, and we will meet you at the port or airport to start the safari.
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