Safaris

Mikumi National Park started off as a small Game Reserve which was later established as a National Park in 1964. Mikumi National Park is situated between the mountains of Uluguru and Udzungwa.

The park is also referred to as ‘Little Serengeti’ because the landscape has similarities with that of Serengeti National Park and it covers an area of 3230 square kilometers. Mikumi National Park shares its name with a village that is located far away on its Western border.

Attractions in Mikumi National Park
Mikumi National Park boasts of a vast diversity of attractions including the Savanah plains, Acacia trees, Baobab, Tamarinds, and Palm. Large numbers of different animal species can be seen roaming in the park’s savannah vegetation and these include; elephants, impalas, eland, zebras, greater kudu, wildebeests, buffaloes, and sable antelopes. Several bird species can also be spotted such as the Yellow-throated Longclaw, Bateleur eagle, Lilac-breasted Roller, and many more.

The best time to visit and experience great wildlife sightings in Mikumi National Park is during the dry season in the month of June to October. Vegetation is thinner during this time and animals can easily be sighted as they gather around the freshwater source, Mkata River. This is also a high season with a large number of tourists visiting during this time of the year.

Activities in Mikumi National Park
Bird Watching
Mikumi National Park is a great destination for a birding experience. Mikumi National Park is inhabited by more than 400 species of birds such as the African fish eagle, Lilac-breasted eagle, Bateleur eagle, Yellow-throated Longclaw, Saddle-billed stork, Long-tailed fiscal, Cattle egrets, Malachite Kingfisher, and more other species that can be spotted in the park, at the hippo pools and at the shores of Mkata river. Migratory birds can be spotted in the park during the rainy season.

Walking Safaris
Guided short walks can be taken through the park’s designated walking trails as you learn and discover more bird and animal species in the park. Beautiful pictures of the savannah grasslands can be captured along the way.

Game viewing
Game viewing in Mikumi National Park can be done both during the day and at night. During the day, there is a chance to get a glimpse of the tree-climbing lions, watch hippos swimming in the hippo pools found northeast of the park’s main gate. The Mkata plains attract large herds of buffaloes and elephants that gather to enjoy the fresh water at the Mkata River. Other splendid animals that can be seen include impala, eland, baboons, and the greater kudu.

Game viewing in mikumi national park
A night game drive in Mikumi National Park gives you a unique viewpoint and an opportunity to catch sights of the nocturnal animals like Leopards, Hyenas, lions, and other day animals. On your night game drive, you are escorted by an experienced and armed game ranger.

Picnics
The spectacular landscape offers picnic sites that provide visitors with captivating nature sights as they enjoy their packed lunch and drinks after or during a break on the game drive.

Cultural visit
A tour around the local communities that are close to the park and engaging in several activities such as traditional dances, traditional food tasting, and a visit to the local markets as you interact and learn more about their traditional lifestyle.

Camping
Camping can be done in the Northern part of Mikumi National Park at a public campsite. Feel the different animal sounds like lions roaring as you rest and view the park’s nature. Camping is best done during the dry season in the month of June to October or November.

Mafia Island is the largest of a small archipelago of islands and atolls and is truly a paradise in the Indian Ocean. It is the southern most of three islands (Pemba & Zanzibar) located off the coast of Tanzania. The resident population are mainly fishermen or smallholder farmers that grow coconut, paw-paw, rice and cassava. The islanders are friendly and welcoming and the atmosphere relaxed and laid-back. Mafia is famous for deep sea fishing and scuba diving. Aquatic life is abundant and the coral gardens are pristine due to the protection of the Mafia Island Marine Park. The park is located between the Rufiji River delta to the west and the open Indian Ocean to the east. The dual influences of the river and the sea have combined to create a rich and exceptional biodiversity with unique landscapes under the sea and on dry land. It is a unique and perfect destination as part of a safari package or simply a place to unwind and get away from the daily, modern and busy world.

Tarangire is situated on the south of large open grass plains of southern Masailand. The name Tarangire is derived from the Tarangire River which provides permanent water for wildlife. In the dry season, Tarangire has a high concentration of wildlife, second only to Ngorongoro Crater. Animals found in Tarangire, include lion, leopard, oryx, gnu and greater and lesser kudu. Also included are: wildebeest, zebras, Thompson’s gazelle, Grant’s gazelle, buffalo, elephant, impala, and eland. Over 300 species of birds are recorded in the park. Some Eurasian migrants are found, which are present from October – April. Tarangire is an ornithologists paradise rich in birds of prey and an incredible diversity of fauna Vegetation: Principal features are the grassland and flood plains which consist of open grassland, acacia trees, rich woodland, found besides tributaries and orchard bush. This park is symbolised by the Baobab tree, dotted throughout the park growing in open acacia woodland.

A million wildebees… each one driven by the same ancient rhythm, fulfilling its instinctive role in the inescapable cycle of life: a frenzied three-week bout of territorial conquests and mating; survival of the fittest as 40km (25 mile) long columns plunge through crocodile-infested waters on the annual exodus north; replenishing the species in a brief population explosion that produces more than 8,000 calves daily before the 1,000 km (600 mile) pilgrimage begins again. Tanzania’s oldest and most popular national park, also a world heritage site and recently proclaimed a 7th world wide wonder, the Serengeti is famed for its annual migration, when some six million hooves pound the open plains, as more than 200,000 zebra and 300,000 Thomson’s gazelle join the wildebeest’s trek for fresh grazing. Yet even when the migration is quiet, the Serengeti offers arguably the most scintillating game-viewing in Africa: great herds of buffalo, smaller groups of elephant and giraffe, and thousands upon thousands of eland, topi, kongoni, impala and Grant’s gazelle.

Lake Manyara is a shallow lake in the the East Aftican Rift said by Ernest Hemingway to be the “loveliest [lake] … in Africa,”. It is also the home of a diverse set of landscapes and wildlife. While most known for baboons, the lake and its environs is also home to herbivores such as hippos, impalas, elephants, wildebeests, buffalo, warthogs and giraffes. Lake Manyara provides opportunities for ornithologists keen on viewing and observing over 300 migratory birds, including flamingo, Long-crested Eagle and Grey-headed Kingfisher.

Ngorongoro Crater is indisputably one of the natural wonders of the world. Two million years ago, a volcano collapsed on this site and formed a perfect caldera, an unbroken natural bowl with a diameter of 12 kilometres. The crater is like a giant natural zoo, with a dense concentration of wildlife including lions, leopards, elephants, baboons and rhinos.Ngorongoro is also home to members of the Maasai tribe who continue to pursue a traditional way of life in and around the Crater, which has symbolic and historical significance in Maasai culture.

Situated 16kms north of Kigoma town in western Tanzania, Gombe is a narrow mountainous strip of the country bounded to the east by the crest of the rift valley escarpment and by Lake Tanganyika to the west. It is a fragile remnant of Chimpanzee habitat. The beauty of Gombe National Park is unique; it is a park without roads, where you can walk and experience nature with all your senses, in its pristine manner.

Due to its altitude, the park’s vegetation varies from ever green forests of tall trees to open woodlands and grassland. Common mammals found in the park are forest species, mostly primates. These include chimpanzee, baboon, blue monkey, red tailed monkey and red colobus monkey. Jane Goodall brought the Chimps of Gombe to world fame through her research projects based here, and various projects still continue to operate.

Chimpanzees are very amusing and intelligent animals and it is interesting to observe them in their natural habitat engaged in different activities. Likely to be seen in addition to the famous chimpanzees, are the colourful red-tail and blue colobus monkeys. Herbivores and carnivores are a rarity in the forests, making Gombe a heaven for walking safaris.

The largest national park in Tanzania is a yet undiscovered gem. This conservation sanctuary offers to guests the sensation of being completely alone, with forest and wildlife all around.”The Link” between Ruaha and Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Selous Game Reserve in the South, as well as Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Manyara in the North, has always been one of Coastal Aviation trademarks and we have decided to reinstate it as it was up to a few months ago.The Northbound flight leaves Dar es Salaam daily at 8:30, waiting for the connection coming from Zanzibar. This is now a direct flight to Ruaha, without stops in Selous, and is now operated with the fast and comfortable pressurized Pilatus PC12, while a Cessna 208 Caravan operates the connection between Selous and Ruaha as usual.

The Selous game reserve is the largest game reserve in Africa (50,000 sq.km) and one of the largest in the world. This was Coastal’s first destination and remains one of the most popular for flying safaris. This is rough territory, long distances and frequently flooded roads. The Rufiji River and its tributaries form a large network of lakes and rivers, making it ideal for boat safaris and for observing wildlife from a different perspective.