Mkomazi National Park is located in northeastern Tanzania on the Kenyan border, in Same District of Kilimanjaro Region and Lushoto District, with a slither of the park in Mkinga District both of Tanga Region. It was established as a game reserve in 1951 and upgraded to a national park in 2006.
The Park finds itself in a beautiful setting with both the Pare and Usambara mountains towering above its boundaries. Depending on the weather, Mount Kilimanjaro can also be seen from the park. To the south the pare and mountains form a dramatic backdrop and to the north, Kenya’s vast Tsavo National Park shares a border with Mkomazi, making common ground for migratory herds of elephant, oryx and zebra during the wet season. Together with Tsavo, it forms one of the largest and most important protected ecosystems on earth.
Mkomazi derives its name from Pare-ethnic language; “Mko and Mazi”. “Mko” means a traditional tiny wooden spoon used by the Pare people for eating and “Mazi” means water. This implies that the water in the Park is hardly enough to fill up the wooden spoon. It covers an area of 3,245sq km.
Wildlife:
The animals, too, are typical of the arid including Giraffe, oryx, gerenuk, hartebeest, lesser kudu, eland, impala and Grant’s gazelle share the park with elephant, buffalo, and numerous predators, including lion, leopard and cheetah. In all, 78 species of mammals have been recorded. The birds of Mkomazi are even more numerous, with over 400 recorded species. Doves, hornbills, weavers and guinea-fowl are all present in large numbers – as well as such striking species as the martial eagle and violet wood-hoopoe.
Transport:
The Park can be accessed by road and air.
By Road:The Park is 120 km from Moshi. The nearest entry gate is 6 km on a graveled road. The Park is also easily accessible on special arrangement through Njiro, Kivingo and Umba gates
By Air: Chartered flights are available to Kisima airstrip in the center of the park near the rhino sanctuary
lushoto
lushoto
