4-Day Mikumi & Udzungwa Safari: Big Five and mountain trekking

Two parks, two kinds of wildlife: plains predators and mountain endemics in one trip

This 4-day safari tour runs between Dar es Salaam, Mikumi National Park and Udzungwa Mountains National Park, combining game drives for lions, elephants and cheetahs with forest trekking to Sanje Waterfall. You depart from either Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar, travel with an English-speaking guide, and stay in lodge accommodation at each park. The itinerary gives more time to Mikumi (Tanzania's fourth-largest park and a reliable spot for the Big Five) before moving to Udzungwa, the Eastern Arc Mountains chain known for endemic species found nowhere else on Earth.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Mikumi and evening game drive

• Depart Dar es Salaam at 12:00
• Have hot lunch at Morogoro Town
• Drive to Mikumi National Park
• Evening game drive in Mikumi
• Transfer to lodge for dinner and overnight

Day 2: Sunrise game drive and Udzungwa trekking

• Early breakfast
• Sunrise game drive in Mikumi
• Picnic lunch
• Drive to Udzungwa National Park
• Meet guide and trek to Sanje Waterfall
• View Kilombero Valley
• Transfer to lodge for dinner and overnight

Day 3: Full day game drive in Mikumi

• Breakfast
• Full day game drive in Mikumi National Park
• Spot various animals and birds
• Return to lodge for dinner and overnight

Day 4: Sunrise game drive and return to Dar es Salaam

• Early morning sunrise game drive
• Return to lodge for breakfast
• Stop at Maasani Boma
• Stop at Morogoro Town for lunch
• Drive back to Dar es Salaam

The experience

The safari opens with a 5-hour drive from Dar es Salaam to Mikumi, arriving in time for an evening game drive. Mikumi's flat terrain and open grassland make wildlife visible: lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants, zebras, buffalo and hippos move across the landscape without the dense cover that hides them elsewhere. The park's hippo pools offer close views of these animals in their element, and the waterways draw birds year-round. You stay at Camp Bastian or Tanapa Cottages, both inside the park.

Day two splits the experience. A sunrise game drive catches animals at their most active, then you drive to Udzungwa with a picnic lunch and meet a forest guide for trekking. The Sanje Waterfall trail is a half-day walk through montane forest to a 170-meter cascade that plunges through mist into the valley below. From the trail you see across the Kilombero Valley at 180 meters elevation. Udzungwa's isolation (a chain of forest-covered mountains rising from coastal scrub) has created an African Galapagos of endemic plants and animals: species found nowhere else, including the delicate African violet. The forest is dense and the terrain steeper than Mikumi. The guide leads you through interior sections most visitors miss.

Day three is a full day inside Mikumi. After breakfast, a complete game drive takes you into the park's interior where animals difficult to spot elsewhere appear regularly. Giraffe, wild dogs, antelopes and more move through the landscape alongside the predators. The guides have time to follow animal movements and position you for sightings rather than rushing between stops.

The final morning begins with a sunrise game drive (the hour when hunting happens and bird activity peaks), then you return to your lodge for breakfast. The drive back to Dar es Salaam includes a stop at a Maasai boma and lunch in Morogoro town.

What’s included

• English-speaking guide for all 4 days.
• hotel pickup from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar.
• transport to and from both parks.
• game drives in Mikumi on days one, two and three.
• guided forest trek to Sanje Waterfall in Udzungwa.
• lodge accommodation at Camp Bastian or Tanapa Cottages.
• meals as described in the itinerary.

Options for this experience

3 options

Leaving from Dar es SalaamGuide in English · 06:00Camp Bastian Mikumi or similar, full board, in a 4x4 safari vehicle. Dar es Salaam hotel pick-up and drop-off; pickup is included.

Starts in Dar es Salaam and ends in ZanzibarGuide in English · 06:00Camp Bastian Mikumi or similar. Pick-up and drop-off: the tour starts in Dar es Salaam and ends in Zanzibar. Duration: 4 days. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. 4x4 safari jeep with open roof. Park fees and government taxes included; pickup is included.

Departing from ZanzibarGuide in English · 06:00Camp Bastian Mikumi or similar, full board, in a 4x4 safari vehicle. Flight tickets for Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar; pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 4d, runs every day at 06:00, from US$ 1,200 per person, with a live guide in English, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00Another time? ›

GroupPrivate3 group tours ›

Live guideEnglishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (12 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3)

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

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Silver Sky Travel

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to combine savanna predators with mountain forest hiking in one trip: Mikumi gets a full day for interior game drives where leopards and lions appear, while Udzungwa offers forest trekking without either feeling rushed.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★Exceptional10 verified traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3).

What are the Big Five I might see in Mikumi?

Mikumi National Park is known for reliable sightings of cheetah, lion, elephant, buffalo and rhino. The park's open grassland and waterways make these animals visible without the dense cover that hides them in other reserves, and the operator notes visitors are consistently not disappointed.

How long is the trek to Sanje Waterfall in Udzungwa?

The trek to Sanje Waterfall is a half-day walk through montane forest. The waterfall plunges 170 metres through mist into the forested valley, and from the trail you see across the Kilombero Valley from 180 metres elevation.

Do I need to arrange my own transport between Dar es Salaam and the parks?

No. Pickup from your hotel in Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar is included, and your English-speaking guide drives you to Mikumi (approximately 5 hours), then to Udzungwa, and back to Dar es Salaam at the end. You travel with the same guide throughout.

What makes Udzungwa different from Mikumi?

Mikumi is open grassland where you spot large predators and herds on game drives. Udzungwa is a chain of forest-covered mountains in the Eastern Arc range, known as the African Galapagos for its endemic species: plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. You trek through montane forest here rather than drive, and the wildlife is smaller and more specialized to the mountain habitat.

Where do I stay during the 4 days?

You stay at Camp Bastian Mikumi or Tanapa Cottages for all nights. Both lodges are inside or adjacent to Mikumi National Park, giving you easy access to early morning and evening game drives.

Which departure option should I choose?

You can depart from Dar es Salaam (the safari starts with pickup from your hotel there) or from Zanzibar (the guide picks you up and you drive to Dar es Salaam first, then to Mikumi). Choose based on where you are staying at the start of the tour.