Mkomazi is the newest and lesser-known Tanzania National Park, set to become the first wildlife park in Africa specialized for black rhino tourism. This year in July rhino tourism will be introduced to attract tourists. Widely spread across 3,500 square kilometre in northern Tanzania, it is easily accessible.
Tourists from across the globe when plan their travel for African safari, can add a few days’ tour of Mkomazi National Park, to their visiting itineraries, to see the rare African black rhino, now on the verge of extinction.
The Mkomazi National Park is a magnificent wilderness. Within sight to the north, Kenya’s vast Tsavo National Park shares a border with Mkomazi emerging together as one of the largest and most important protected ecosystems on earth. Black rhinos used to roam freely between Mkomazi and the Tsavo ecosystem, covering Tsavo West National Park.
The commissioner of Tanzania National Parks(Tanapa), Allan Kijazi said last week that a special programme has been launched to protect the breeding rhinos in Mkomazi.
Mkomazi has been running the rhino conservation project for the past 20 years. Tanapa expects to earn Tsh423 million ($200,000) from 7,680 visitors per year,he added.
Rhinos are protected within the fenced 55-square kilometre sanctuary, inside the 3,245-sqaure kilometre park. Tourists can easily view them than in the wild plains, Mkomazi park warden Abel Mtui said.
Mkomazi Rhino Sanctuary has attained global renown for rehabilitating rhino population within the park , thus offering unlimited game viewing and educational opportunities for travelers. Travelers can certainly explore more of Tanzania’s hidden natural treasures through game drives walking safaris, mountain hikes, camping and bird watching. Tourists may also see wild dogs which are counted among endangered species in Africa.
International tourists are charged park fees at just US$30 a day and East African Community (EAC) residents are charged US$4.50 per each day spent in the park.
International organization ‘Save the Rhino’ working for the protection and conservation of rhinos, estimates that 500,000 rhinos lived across Africa and Asia 100 years ago. Now, less than 29,000 rhinos exist in the world, mainly in Africa.
