3 Day Mikumi National Park Safari
Looking for an authentic African game-viewing trip with enough time to deeply explore without feeling rushed? A 3-day Mikumi National Park safari delivers the ideal wildlife escape. Known as the “Little Serengeti” of Tanzania’s southern safari circuit, Mikumi National Park offers wide-open savannahs, dramatic mountain backdrops, and concentrated wildlife—all easily accessible from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar.
While a quick 2-day tour gives you a brief taste, a full 3-day Mikumi National Park safari gives you a full day in the heart of the park, increasing your chances of spotting lions on the hunt, massive elephant herds, giant hippos, and rare bird species.
Why Choose a 3-Day Mikumi National Park Safari?
Mikumi National Park offers unique benefits for travelers who want an easy trip and great wildlife viewing, especially compared with the parks to the north.
- Take your time and explore more deeply. With three days, you have a full day for game drives across the Mkata Floodplain without feeling rushed.
- Travel is quick and comfortable. Instead of spending over seven hours on the highway, you can take Tanzania’s modern SGR electric train from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro in less than two hours.
- You’ll have plenty of chances to see big game, including lions, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, wildebeests, and more than 400 types of birds.
- The park is less crowded, so you can enjoy a real African safari experience with fewer vehicles at wildlife viewing spots than in northern Tanzania.
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Dar es Salaam / Zanzibar ➔ SGR Train to Morogoro ➔ Afternoon Mikumi Game Drive
Day 2: Full-Day Game Drive across the Mkata Floodplain
Day 3: Sunrise Safari & Cultural Maasai Tour ➔ Return Journey
Safari Price:
Solo Traveler: US $ 1245
2 pax: US $ 780 per person
3-6 pax: US $ 650 per person
Package Includes:
- Park entrance fee
- Professional driver guide service
- Full board accommodation at Stanley Kopjes or Vuma
- 1.5 liters of mineral water per person per day
- Transport in a 4WD safari vehicle
Package Excludes:
- Accommodation in Dar es Salaam
- Airport departure tax
- Hot and cold drinks at lodges
- Flying doctors insurance
- Tips for the driver guide
3-Day Mikumi National Park Safari Itinerary
This Mikumi National Park safari is designed to make your travel easy while giving you plenty of time for game drives.
Day 1: Transfer to Mikumi & Sunset Safari Drive
- Morning Departure: Your safari starts early with a pick-up from your hotel or the airport in Dar es Salaam, or after you arrive by ferry from Zanzibar. Take the SGR train to Morogoro station, where your private safari driver-guide will meet you with a 4x4 vehicle.
- Midday Drive & Lunch: Enjoy the scenery on a 90-minute drive to the park gate. Afterward, check into your safari lodge or tented camp and have lunch.
- Afternoon Game Drive: Enjoy an afternoon game drive in Mikumi National Park. As the day cools down, look out for elephant herds, zebras, and giraffes.
- Evening: Head back to your lodge for dinner and relax for the night, listening to the sounds of the African bush.
Day 2: Full-Day Mikumi National Park Safari Adventure
- Morning (Mkata Floodplain): After having breakfast, depart early for a full-day safari drive in Mikumi National Park. The morning sun over the Mkata Floodplain is ideal for spotting lions, impalas, wildebeest, and buffalo.
- Midday (Picnic Lunch in the Wild): Enjoy a picnic lunch in the park, under a baobab tree or at the Hippo Pools, where you can watch hippos and crocodiles.
- Afternoon (Chamhoi & Baobab Sites): Explore more of the park, from open grasslands to the edges of miombo woodlands, where you might see leopards and many birds.
- Evening: Head back to camp for a hot shower, dinner, and time to relax by the campfire.
Day 3: Golden Hour Safari, Maasai Village & Return Journey
- Early Morning Game Drive: Leave at dawn for one last sunrise safari in Mikumi National Park, looking for predators while they are still active.
- Cultural Experience (Optional): Visit a Maasai boma near the park to learn about Maasai culture, dances, and daily life.
- Afternoon Transfer: Travel back to Morogoro station to catch your SGR train to Dar es Salaam, or connect to an evening ferry or flight to Zanzibar.