TOP FLIGHT
English summary
MIKUMI
NATIONAL
PARK
BATHING HIPPOS
108
Those who are going to Tanzania
for a short trip should
choose Mikumi Park: it is closest
to the largest city of the
country, Dar es Salaam, and you
do not need to cross half the
country to go on a safari. Mikumi
owes its name to one of the
types of fan palms, which is also
called a palmyra tree. It starts
raining here in October and November,
so it is better to plan
a trip for a dry season - in December-February
or from May
to September. The park is located
at an altitude of 200 to 800
m above sea level and is framed
by the Udzungwa and Uluguru
mountains. Various species
of antelope can be found here,
including the largest in the
world - the eland, as well as impala,
black antelope, kudu,
etc. Besides, the park is home
to an endemic giraffe, which biologists
classify as an intermediate
species between the Masai
and reticulated giraffes. But
perhaps the most interesting
sight awaits visitors five kilometers
to the north of the central
entrance to the park: there
in two artificial ponds live hippos
which regularly arrange
swimming and “bathing” procedures
to the delight of tourists.