Mkomazi National Park
Mkomazi National Park was founded in 2008 and lies between the Pare and Usambara Mountains which form part of the Eastern Arc Mountains. The words ‘Mkomazi’ comes from the Pare vernacular word for “a scoop of water”. This semi-arid park, which borders Kenya’s vast Tsavo National Park, falls into the Greater Tsavo Ecosystem which is the 2nd largest transboundary ecosystem in East Africa next to the famous Serengeti-Mara.
Bush walks with an armed ranger and rhino tracking in the new Mbula Rhino Sanctuary are the highlights of this park as well as trying to spot the elusive gerenuk and lesser kudu. Mkomazi is a birders paradise and is also home to 5 endemic birds including the Violet Wood-Hoopoe, Friedmann’s Lark, the Somali Long-billed Crombec and the Yellow-vented Eremomela. With some luck, one can see the Big Five too!