Overview–tanzania

Mkomazi National Park

Far away from any crowds, Mkomazi National Park feels wild and untrammeled. With mountains rising in every direction, the scenery is spectacular. Although wildlife is thinly distributed, all of the Big Five are present. A huge drive-in sanctuary offers a chance to get close to the endangered black rhino, which is absent or very rarely seen in most other Tanzanian parks.

Scenery

Set below the slopes of the spectacular Usambara and Pare Mountain ranges and overseen by the snowcapped peak of Mt Kilimanjaro, Mkomazi has a dramatic setting and a sense of immense space. It is a classic dry-country reserve consisting of scattered gray-green scrubby bushes, interspersed with savannah woodland and grassland.

Activities

Aside from game drives, activities in Mkomazi include walking safaris and night drives. Not to be missed is a guided open-vehicle game drive into the 16km²/6mi² Mkomazi Black Rhino Tourist Sanctuary, where sightings of the endangered black rhino are almost guaranteed. This sanctuary opened in 2021 to allow visitors an opportunity to see rhinos that have been translocated from a long-standing breeding program based in a larger fenced sanctuary elsewhere in the park.

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Rates

From: $152 to $651 pp/day

Best Time to Go

From: June to October (Animals are more easily found)

High Season

From: This park doesn't have a high season

Size

From: 3,245km² / 1,253mi²

Wildlife & Animals

Mkomazi National Park’s dramatic landscape is the perfect backdrop for incredible photo opportunities of Masai giraffes. These magnificent animals are plentiful and relaxed here. Also regularly seen are plains zebra, Coke’s hartebeest, Grant’s gazelle and the tiny Kirk’s dik-dik. Big herds of eland are common too, but they are shy and you’ll mostly see them kicking up dust as they disappear in the distance.

Wildlife Highlights

The Kisima Rhino Breeding Sanctuary, set in the heart of Mkomazi, is one of Tanzania’s great conservation success stories. A guided 4x4 excursion into the offshoot Mkomazi Black Rhino Tourist Sanctuary, which opened in 2021, is highly recommended. It is educational and offers one of the best opportunities in Africa to get close to black rhinos in a natural environment. Localized dry-country antelope such as fringe-eared oryx, lesser kudu, and gerenuk are more likely to be seen in the rhino sanctuary than elsewhere in the park.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

The Dry season (June to October) is the best time for general wildlife viewing in the park. However, Mkomazi isn’t a prime wildlife-viewing destination and the scenery and views of the mountains are at their best in the Wet season (November to May). This is also the best time to see elephants migrating into the park from Kenya’s Tsavo West National Park.

General Wheather

The climate in Mkomazi National Park is usually dry and warm to hot. The hottest months are October to April, and the coolest months are May to September. The Wet season consists of two rainy periods: the short rains (November to December) and the long rains (March to May), with a dry spell in between. Rains are frequent during the rainy season but generally do not last all day.

Dry Season –June to October

Afternoon temperatures of around 27°C/81°F are common. It cools off at night with minimum temperatures around 16°C/61°F. There is almost no rain in this period.

June, July, August & September – The daytime weather is clear and sunny. The sky gets hazy toward the end of the season.
October – The first showers at the end of the month bring relief by settling the dust.

Wet Season –November to May

As in the Dry season, temperatures are quite uniform, but the humidity is higher and the heat might become oppressive. Afternoon temperatures are usually around 29°C/84°F, and nighttime temperatures are around 19°C/66°F.

November & December – 'Short rains' – Sometime in November and December comes a period of rain. These rains aren't likely to impact your trip negatively, as it is uncommon for it to rain all day long. Afternoon showers are more likely.
January & February – There tends to be a drier spell with less rain between the short and long rains. The exact timing is uncertain.
March, April & May – 'Long rains' – It rains with more frequency although not often for the whole day. These months are the wettest and most cloud-covered. The humidity is heightened, and it might feel very hot.

Prons

Stunning scenery with views of Mt Kilimanjaro
Off the beaten track, away from the crowds
Big Five destination
A chance to contribute directly to rhino conservation
Important bird area with several northern dry-country endemic species

Cons

Wildlife is thinly populated
Limited game-drive circuit

How To Get There

The best way to get to Mkomazi National Park is by road from Moshi or Arusha town.

Most people fly into Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO), which is situated between Arusha and Moshi. The 40km/25 mi drive to Moshi takes about 1 hour* and the 50km/31 mi drive to Arusha takes about 1½ hours*. It is also possible to fly into Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam and fly on to Arusha Airport (ARK) or Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). In most cases, your tour operator will pick you up from the airport.

Mkomazi is right next to the small town of the same, which is a comfortable 112km/69 mi drive south of Moshi. The drive from Moshi to the park takes between 2 and 2½ hours*. Mkomazi is a bit out of the way compared to most other parks in northern Tanzania, but it could be visited en route to the Usambara Mountains.

*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.

Airlines & Ticket Prices

Please check Skyscanner to see which airlines can take you to Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) or Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR), and what tickets would cost.