Safari to Mikumi National Park

First a bit of information for you all.

Mikumi National ParkSize: 1,250 sq miles, the fourth-largest park in Tanzania, and part of a much larger ecosystem centered on the vast Selous Game Reserve. Mikumi National Park borders the northern part of the Selous and is divided by the road between Dar es Salaam and Iringa. Mikumi is the most accessible part of a 47,000 square mile area of wilderness that stretches east almost as far as the Indian Ocean.

Location: 175 miles west of Dar es Salaam

Okay. Just forget everything that is grand and exciting about going to your favorite zoo. The animals there are no doubt fantastic to view, but are much better seen when driving slowly through the bush with nothing between you and them but your camera. Okay maybe there was an occasional pane of glass, but we were in the middle of their home. Want to see a herd of African Buffalo….look over there (click), how about Elephants……watch them drink out of the nearby pond while we have lunch (click), oh look at the Giraffe merely a few feet away just staring at us (click), how about Zebra (click), Wildebeeste, Eland, Hippos, Crocodiles, Reedbuck, Warthogs, Baboons, Impala, Jackal,(click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click, click……….and oh yes finally some Lions (click). In all some 2500 pictures were “clicked” in our five days at Mikumi. I think we came away with some pretty good shots and a truly saturated feeling of seeing wild animals (that’s a good thing). Our accommodations were great. Amber put it best that we were “five star camping”. The Banda’s had running water, electricity for a couple of hours in the morning and evening, beds (with mosquito nets), and best of all great sound effects at night. We were amazed at how loud it could be one minute, and the next……dead silent. The days began early with a Safari before breakfast. After breakfast another trip out to see what we might have missed. After lunch some digested, and others “safaried” some more. Before dinner everyone saddled up for the evening hunt for lions. Dinner was served overlooking the waterhole where we were forced to watch various animals come and quench their thirst…….what a bummer. I think we averaged about eight hours a day in the car. I will leave you with the pictures to view. Thank you all for leaving your comments. They are fun to read and enjoy knowing that others are interested. Kwaheri!