4 Days Mikumi and Udzungwa Mountains Safari from Dar Es Salaam

06:00–12:00 | Journey to Mikumi:

Your guide collects you in Dar es Salaam and begins the drive into Southern Tanzania. Make comfort stops along the way while watching the scenery change beyond the city. Your guide will introduce Mikumi’s wildlife and explain the first afternoon’s game-drive plan. Stop for lunch after arrival and prepare to enter the park.

13:00–16:00 | First Mikumi game drive:

Explore accessible routes across the Mkata Floodplain. Look for elephants, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras and antelope while your guide watches for birds and possible predators. Stop when wildlife appears so you can observe behaviour and take photographs. The open views offer an introduction to the park’s grassland landscape.

16:00–18:00 | Afternoon photography:

 Continue game viewing as the light changes. Your guide will choose permitted stopping places for photographs and make time for final wildlife encounters. Leave the park within operating hours and travel to your lodge for the night.

Activities: Road transfer, afternoon game drive, photography.
Distance: Approximately 300 km from Dar es Salaam, plus driving inside Mikumi.
Time: Around 5–7 hours by road and approximately 3–4 hours on the game drive.
Attractions: Mkata Floodplain, elephants, giraffes, buffaloes and birds.

Destination:

Mikumi Natinal Park

Overnight:

Wellworth Mikumi Wildlife Lodge

  luxury 4 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Lunch, Dinner

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06:30–10:00 | Early wildlife search:

 Return to the park while temperatures are cooler. Your guide will look for animals feeding and moving across the plains, stopping at good sightings for observation. Watch for elephants, buffaloes, giraffes and birds as the morning develops. Mikumi’s open views make it possible to scan widely for herds.

10:00–13:00 | Explore and pause for lunch:

 Continue through accessible grassland and woodland habitats. Your guide will explain the animals you encounter and help identify birds along the route. Stop for a picnic lunch at an approved location and rest before the afternoon. The longer outing lets you explore more than the area covered on day one.

13:00–17:00 | Hippo Pool viewpoint and further viewing:

 If accessible, stop at the Hippo Pool viewpoint and watch for hippos and birds from the permitted area. Continue the game drive in another accessible part of Mikumi, looking for animals missed during the morning. Return to the lodge after a full day of wildlife viewing.

Activities: Full-day game drive, birdwatching, picnic lunch, Hippo Pool viewpoint when accessible.
Distance: Varies by route and sightings.
Time: Approximately 9–10 hours in the park, including stops and lunch.
Attractions: Mkata Floodplain, Hippo Pool viewpoint, large mammals and birds.

Destination:

Mikumi Natinal Park

Overnight:

Wellworth Mikumi Wildlife Lodge

  luxury 4 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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07:00–09:30 | Travel to Udzungwa:

Leave the open plains and drive towards Udzungwa’s forested slopes. Your guide will explain the change in habitat and introduce the Sanje hike. Meet the authorised walking guide, review trail conditions and prepare water and suitable shoes. Begin the rainforest walk after the briefing.

09:30–15:30 | Sanje Waterfalls trail:

Follow the designated path through the forest, listening for birds and watching for primates. Your guide will point out plants, wildlife signs and viewpoints as you climb. Take breaks and enjoy the trail before reaching a suitable Sanje Waterfalls viewpoint. Spend time with the waterfall scenery, then descend carefully. Wildlife encounters depend on what is present along the trail that day.

15:30–evening | Rest near Udzungwa:

Travel to your lodge near the mountains or Mang’ula and freshen up after the hike. Enjoy time to rest and review photographs from the forest. Your guide will confirm the next morning’s hosted activity and return arrangements.

Activities: Transfer to Udzungwa, guided rainforest hike, Sanje Waterfalls visit.
Distance: Local transfer and hiking distances depend on lodge and trail route.
Time: Around 2–3 hours for the transfer and much of the day for hiking with breaks.
Attractions: Sanje Waterfalls, rainforest birds, plants and primates when sighted.

Destination:

Udzungwa Mountains

Overnight:

Udzungwa Falls Lodge

  mid rage 3 star lodge

Meals & Drinks:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

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08:00–10:00 | Mang’ula hosted activity:

 Meet local hosts for the visit arranged before travel. Depending on the programme, learn about food, farming, crafts or another aspect of community life. Listen to your hosts’ explanations and ask questions before saying goodbye. The experience adds a local perspective to the two national parks you have explored.

10:00–12:00 | Begin the return journey:

Collect your belongings and leave the Udzungwa area. Your guide will arrange lunch and comfort stops along the road. Enjoy final views of the foothills before continuing towards Dar es Salaam.

12:00–evening | Return to Dar es Salaam:

Travel through Southern Tanzania with breaks as needed. Recall favourite wildlife sightings and the Sanje Waterfalls hike during the journey. Arrival depends on traffic and road conditions. Your guide drops you at the agreed location.

Activities: Hosted Mang’ula activity, lunch stop, return transfer.
Distance: Varies by lodge location and route.
Time: Around 2 hours for the hosted visit, followed by several hours of travel.
Attractions: Mang’ula community, Udzungwa foothills and Southern Tanzania’s landscapes.