Day safari to Mikumi from Dar es Salaam: Train and game drive

Two game drives in Tanzania's fourth-largest park, reached by train from the coast

A day safari from Dar es Salaam to Mikumi National Park combines train travel to Morogoro with two game drives in a 3,230 km² reserve home to elephants, lions, giraffes, buffaloes and leopards. Hotel or airport pickup is included, along with lunch, bottled water and a licensed driver-guide who speaks English, Spanish, Italian or French. The full day takes 13 hours from hotel to hotel.

Step-by-step itinerary

Train safari to Mikumi National Park

• Pick up from hotel or airport
• Drive to SGR Train Station
• Train to Morogoro region
• Pick up by driver guide in Morogoro
• Drive to Mikumi National Park
• Late morning game drive
• Picnic lunch during activities
• Evening game drive
• Drive back to Morogoro train station
• Train back to Dar es Salaam
• Pick up and drop off at hotel or airport

The experience

Your driver picks you up early from your Dar es Salaam hotel or airport and takes you to the SGR Train Station. The train ride to Morogoro takes about an hour, and a guide meets you on arrival to drive you inland to Mikumi National Park: another hour and a half through changing landscape. The park sits between the Uluguru Mountains to the north and the Lumango Mountains to the southeast, positioned as Tanzania's most accessible large reserve from the coast.

You'll do a late morning game drive and return for an evening drive, the two sessions that give you the best chance to spot wildlife across different times of day. Mikumi's 3,230 square kilometers hold buffaloes, giraffes, elephants, lions, zebras, leopards, pythons, crocodiles and a range of bird species. A picnic lunch breaks the drives, and the air-conditioned vehicle keeps you comfortable between sightings. After the evening drive, your guide drives you back to Morogoro station for the return train to Dar es Salaam, where your driver meets you again and takes you to your hotel or airport depending on your flight time.

The route trades a long day for access: the train handles the first leg while you rest, and the two game-drive windows let you hunt wildlife when animals are most active. You see more in a single day this way than a rushed morning-only visit would allow, and you're back in the city by evening.

What’s included

• Hotel or airport pickup in Dar es Salaam.
• train fare to Morogoro.
• transportation to Mikumi National Park.
• two game drives with a licensed driver-guide.
• picnic lunch.
• bottled water and soft drinks.
• all park fees and taxes.
• air-conditioned vehicle throughout.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 04:30 and 05:00

Book up toStart time

AgesUp to age 80

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Kihindo Tours and Safaris Limited

Is this one for you?The 13-hour day means an early start and a late return, but the train ride to Morogoro lets you rest during the journey rather than drive it yourself, and the two game-drive windows (late morning and evening) catch wildlife when they're most active. Choose this if you have one full day in Dar es Salaam and want to see large animals without spending a night inland.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Italian.

Can I arrange this tour if I'm arriving late at night in Dar es Salaam?

Yes. Your driver will pick you up from the airport on a late-night arrival and take you to your hotel, then collect you early the next morning to start the safari day. The tour itself runs the following day once you're rested.

What animals am I likely to see in Mikumi National Park?

Mikumi is home to elephants, lions, giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, leopards, pythons, crocodiles and many bird species. The park's 3,230 square kilometres give wildlife room to roam, so sightings depend on the season and the time of day. Your two game drives (late morning and evening) are timed when animals are most active.

How long is the train ride from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro?

The SGR Train takes approximately one hour to reach Morogoro. From there, your guide drives you to Mikumi National Park, which takes about one hour and thirty minutes.

What's included in the price?

The tour includes hotel or airport pickup in Dar es Salaam, the train fare, transportation to and from Mikumi, two game drives with a licensed guide, lunch, bottled water, soft drinks and all fees and taxes. The guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian or French.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You spend most of the day in an air-conditioned vehicle during the game drives, and the train handles the first leg of the journey, so the physical demand is low.