Dusk over the bush seen from a camp in Mikumi National Park

Where to Stay for Mikumi

Inside the park, on its edge, in Morogoro or back in Dar es Salaam — how to choose, and the properties worth a look.

Many Mikumi visitors never sleep there: they fly in from Zanzibar for the day or drive out and back from Dar es Salaam. If you can stay, do. A night at Mikumi gives you the two best game drives of the day — late afternoon and dawn — and replaces hours of travelling with a sundowner.

There are three kinds of place to stay. Inside the park are a handful of tented camps and lodges, plus simple TANAPA-run bandas and campsites; you pay park fees for the time you are inside. On the park’s edge, in and around Mikumi town, are cheaper lodges and camps that organise game drives. And further back along the road are the town hotels of Morogoro and the city hotels of Dar es Salaam.

Coverage of this area on the big booking platforms is thinner than for northern Tanzania, and several well-known camps are sold mainly through safari operators rather than online. The properties below are the ones we could verify on Trip.com; guest scores come from there, and where a place has few reviews we say so.

Where to stay

Lodges and camps in and around the park

From safari lodges at the park to budget camps in Mikumi town, plus a base at the foot of the Udzungwa Mountains for the Sanje Falls hike.

Wellworth Mikumi Wildlife Lodge

9.8 40

A recent safari lodge listed under Mikumi National Park, with the highest guest score of any Mikumi property on Trip.com so far. The upmarket choice for a night or two on safari.

Top guest scores
Safari-lodge comfort
Listed at Mikumi National Park

from US$238 / night See rates & availability

Mikumi Safari Lodge

9.6 8

A small lodge listed at Mikumi National Park with a very good guest score from its first reviewers and a starting rate well below the big-name camps.

Good value
Listed at Mikumi National Park
Small and personal

from US$69 / night See rates & availability

Camp Bastian Mikumi

8.6 165

A long-running, well-reviewed camp of cottages and tents on the edge of Mikumi town — by far the most-reviewed place to stay in the area and a favourite with overland travellers.

Most-reviewed stay near the park
Cottages and camping
On the edge of Mikumi town

See rates & availability

Tan-Swiss Lodge

7.8 13

A Swiss–Tanzanian run roadside lodge with a campsite and a popular restaurant in Mikumi town. Simple, friendly and a well-known meeting point for independent travellers.

Lodge rooms and campsite
Restaurant on site
In Mikumi town, on the highway

See rates & availability

Mikumi Adventure Lodge

A lodge listed in the Mikumi National Park area. It has no guest score on Trip.com yet, so read the latest reviews carefully before you book.

Mikumi park area
Lodge-style stay
No guest score yet

See rates & availability

Mikumi Faru Luxury Tented Campsite

8.0 7

A basic tented campsite in the Mikumi area with one of the lowest starting rates around — the “luxury” in the name should be read against the price.

Very low starting rate
Tented camp
Mikumi area

from US$20 / night See rates & availability

Udzungwa Falls Lodge

7.4 3

A lodge at the foot of the Udzungwa Mountains near the park’s eastern side — the convenient base if you are adding the Sanje Falls hike to a Mikumi safari. Only a few reviews so far.

At the foot of the Udzungwa Mountains
Base for the Sanje Falls hike
About an hour or so from Mikumi town

from US$119 / night See rates & availability

See all stays near Mikumi on Trip.com

Hotels in Morogoro

Break the journey under the Uluguru Mountains, about an hour and a half to two hours from the park gate — handy if you arrive by SGR train.

Morogoro Hotel

8.0 58

Morogoro’s long-established hotel, set in gardens below the Uluguru Mountains. A sensible, inexpensive stop if you are breaking the journey from Dar or arriving by train.

Gardens with mountain views
Inexpensive
Most-reviewed hotel in Morogoro

from US$53 / night See rates & availability

Nashera Hotel

8.0 4

One of Morogoro’s smarter hotels, in a quiet part of town towards the mountains. A comfortable night before an early start for the park.

Quiet location
Among the more comfortable in town
Handy for an early safari start

from US$113 / night See rates & availability

Edelwyss-Inn

8.8 4

A small inn in Morogoro with a high guest score from a handful of reviewers.

Small and personal
High guest score
Few reviews so far

See rates & availability

Hotel Oasis

7.0 3

A mid-range town hotel on Station Road in Morogoro, practical if you are arriving or leaving by rail.

On Station Road
Central Morogoro
Practical for rail travellers

See rates & availability

See all Morogoro hotels on Trip.com

Hotels in Dar es Salaam

For the night before an early departure and the night you get back. A central location saves a pre-dawn crawl across the city.

Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam, The Kilimanjaro

★★★★★

9.7 51

The landmark five-star on the harbour front in the city centre, with the highest guest score among Dar’s big hotels. A comfortable place to wait for a pre-dawn safari pickup.

Harbour-front city centre
Five-star comfort
Very high guest scores

from US$182 / night See rates & availability

Johari Rotana

★★★★★

9.5 78

A modern five-star tower on Sokoine Drive in the centre of Dar es Salaam — convenient for the railway station and consistently highly rated.

Central, on Sokoine Drive
Modern five-star
Convenient for the station

from US$159 / night See rates & availability

Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel

★★★★★

8.5 74

A classic city hotel on Ohio Street set in large gardens with a pool — a calm corner of a hectic city.

Gardens and pool
Central location
Established five-star

from US$138 / night See rates & availability

Four Points by Sheraton Dar es Salaam New Africa

★★★★

8.5 101

A reliable international-chain hotel on Azikiwe Street in the old centre, within easy reach of the waterfront.

Old city centre
Chain reliability
Most-reviewed of our Dar picks

from US$120 / night See rates & availability

Onomo Hotel Dar es Salaam

9.0 40

A contemporary, good-value city hotel with a strong guest score — the pick if you only need a clean, modern room for the night before the safari.

Good value
Modern rooms
City centre

from US$67 / night See rates & availability

Holiday Inn Dar es Salaam City Centre

8.1 69

A dependable mid-priced hotel in the city centre with one of the lowest starting rates among the international brands.

City centre
Low starting rate
International brand

from US$61 / night See rates & availability

Hotel Slipway

8.3 58

A relaxed waterfront hotel at the Slipway complex on the Msasani Peninsula, with shops, restaurants and sunset views over the bay — more holiday-like than the city-centre towers.

On the Msasani Peninsula
Waterfront shops and restaurants
Sunsets over the bay

from US$121 / night See rates & availability

See all Dar es Salaam hotels on Trip.com

Where to base yourself: a quick comparison

Base	Good for	Less good for	Price level
Inside the park	Dawn and dusk game drives, bush atmosphere, no commuting	Tight budgets — park fees apply for each 24 hours	Mid-range to high
Mikumi town & park edge	Value, independent travellers, combining with Udzungwa	Peace and quiet near the highway	Budget to mid-range
Udzungwa foothills	An early start on the Sanje Falls trail	Game drives — Mikumi is an hour or more away	Budget to mid-range
Morogoro	Breaking the journey, train travellers, hikers	Being in the park at first light	Budget to mid-range
Dar es Salaam	Before and after flights, the night before a tour	Anything to do with wildlife	All levels

Staying inside the park: what to know

If you sleep within the park boundary you pay TANAPA’s conservation fee for each 24-hour period, and usually a per-night concession or camping fee as well — sometimes included in the lodge rate, sometimes not. Ask exactly what is covered. The reward is wildlife on your doorstep: elephants and buffalo regularly wander through the camps, which is also why staff will escort you after dark.

TANAPA itself runs basic accommodation near the headquarters — bandas, a rest house and public campsites. They are booked and paid for through the park authority rather than through hotel platforms; contact TANAPA or ask a local operator.

If your safari includes accommodation

Most multi-day safaris come with lodging included. Check which property is used and whether it is inside the park or in town — it explains much of the price difference between otherwise similar tours.

Practical tips

Book well ahead for July to October and the Christmas period; there are not many rooms at Mikumi.
Ask about power (solar or generator hours), hot water and Wi-Fi — standards vary widely.
In town, request a room away from the highway.
Carry a torch, and never walk around unfenced camps alone at night.

Accommodation links go to Trip.com. If you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Guest scores and starting rates were read from Trip.com and change constantly.

Plan your safari

Add a real safari to your Zanzibar or Dar es Salaam trip

Fly out of Zanzibar after breakfast or take the train from Dar, spend the day among elephants, giraffes and zebra on the Mkata floodplain, and be back by evening — or stay a night for the lions. Compare day trips and overnight safaris and book in a couple of taps.

Browse Mikumi safaris Compare all tours

Good to know

Where to stay for Mikumi: FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to stay inside Mikumi National Park or outside?

Inside is better for wildlife and atmosphere; outside is cheaper. If your budget allows one night inside the park, take it. Otherwise a lodge in Mikumi town with an early start works well.

How many nights should I stay?

One night turns a day trip into a real safari. Two nights is ideal and leaves time for the southern hills or a relaxed pace. Add a night near Udzungwa if you want to hike.

Are there luxury lodges in Mikumi?

Mikumi is not a luxury-camp destination in the way the Serengeti or Ruaha are. There are comfortable mid-range tented camps and lodges, and a few more upmarket options, but nothing ultra-high-end.

Can I camp in the park?

Yes. TANAPA maintains public campsites, for which you pay a per-person camping fee on top of the conservation fee. You need to bring or hire all equipment; several budget tours include camping.

Where should I stay in Dar es Salaam before a Mikumi safari?

Somewhere central — the city-centre hotels are closest to the railway station and to the highway west. The Msasani Peninsula is more pleasant but adds travelling time before dawn.