Where to Stay Overnight in Mikumi: Lodges, Camps, Rates and Park Fees

What fees do I pay to stay overnight in Mikumi?

Sleeping inside the park adds a $29.50 concession fee per adult per night to the $35.40 daily conservation fee, and an overnight usually means paying for two 24-hour conservation periods, not one. These are Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) charges, separate from your lodge rate.

Mikumi park fees for non-residents

The tariff figures come from TANAPA’s schedule for 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024, still the newest one on its website in October 2026. Its notes say “All charges are VAT (18%) exclusive”, so the third column is what you pay.

Two caveats about these numbers:

1. The tariff is out of date but still applied. In March 2025 The Citizen reported a freeze on park-fee rises: TANAPA Assistant Conservation Commissioner Jully Lyimo said current rates would stay unchanged at least until March 2026, with at least 12 months’ notice before any increase.
2. The “15% a year” rise is unconfirmed. Wild to Sea’s 2026 park-fee guide reports that TANAPA proposed raising conservation and concession fees by 15% a year for five years, from 2026/27 to 2030/31. That would take the Mikumi entry fee from $35.40 to roughly $41 with VAT, and the concession fee to about $34. We found no official TANAPA notice that the rise is in force. A package quoted in dollars “including park fees” should protect you; ask your operator to confirm that in writing.

How do the 24-hour fee windows work for an overnight?

Conservation fees are sold in 24-hour blocks that start when you enter the park. A typical fly-in overnight lands around 08:30 on day one and leaves around 15:00 on day two, about 30 hours in the park. So you pay two conservation fees (2 × $35.40) plus one concession night ($29.50): about $100 per adult in park fees for one night. If you enter after lunch and leave before the same time the next day, you pay only one conservation fee, and some road packages are timed for exactly this. Package prices “including park fees” already account for it; if you book a lodge directly, budget for it.

Gate hours and why they matter

Mikumi’s gates and game-drive hours run roughly 06:00 to 18:00. If you sleep outside, you queue at the gate when it opens and must be out by closing time, so your sunset ends at the gate. If you sleep inside, your guide can keep you on the floodplain until 18:00 for the last light and have you back out at first light without the gate formalities.

What are the best lodges and camps inside Mikumi National Park?

Visitors from Zanzibar have four realistic in-park choices. Stanley’s Kopje and Vuma Hills are full-board tented camps run by Foxes Safari Camps. Wellworth Mikumi Wildlife Lodge is a 48-room hotel-style lodge at Kikoboga, and Mikumi Wildlife Camp is an older lodge with stone bandas, also at Kikoboga. TANAPA’s own cottages and campsites cover the budget end.

In-park camps compared, November to February

Full board means bed, breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. The Foxes rates come from the 2026–27 rate sheet published by Chalo Africa, which resells the Foxes camps.

Stanley’s Kopje: our pick overall

Choose Stanley’s Kopje if wildlife is the point. It is the only camp in Mikumi on a rocky kopje in the middle of the Mkata floodplain, and it looks over the Mwanamboga waterhole in the park’s richest game area.

• Where: on a granite outcrop on the Mkata floodplain in north-central Mikumi. The camp used to be called Foxes Safari Camp and was rebuilt in 2011.
• Rooms: 12 tents on raised wooden platforms under thatch, spaced around the base of the kopje, each with a veranda and a view of the plains. The main area and pool sit on top, with views all round.
• November to February rates (2026–27): $295 per person per night from 1 November to 23 December 2026 and from 5 January 2027; $320 from 24 December 2026 to 4 January 2027. The 2027–28 rate sheet shows $325 and $350. Rates are full board; park and concession fees are extra.
• What’s included: bed, breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. The camp also does bush breakfasts, picnic lunches and sundowners. Game drives are usually sold as part of a package, so check whether your quote says “full board” or “game package”.
• Open: roughly 1 June to 28 February. It closes for the long rains from March to May, so February is the last month of the season. One listing (i-escape) says “open all year”; go with the operator-level information and assume it is closed from March to May.
• Children: under 6 free; children aged 6 to 14 pay half the adult rate when sharing with two adults; families with children aged 8 and under must book a private vehicle. No babysitting.
• Practical: camp-style electricity (you charge devices in the main area) and limited or no Wi-Fi. Expert Africa notes a 5% surcharge on card payments; laundry is free.
• Reviews: 4.6 out of 5 from 75 Tripadvisor reviews. Guests score value lowest (4.3), and rate the location and view more highly than the tents.
• Who it suits: couples, photographers, and anyone who wants a good chance of lions at breakfast. Skip it if you want air-conditioning or strong Wi-Fi, or if you travel between March and May.
• From the airstrip: Stanley’s Kopje is further from Kikoboga airstrip than the other in-park options. Allow time for a game drive on the way in, which most guests count as a bonus.

Stanley’s Kopje is mostly sold through operators as part of a package, so ask the operator to name it on your quote.

Vuma Hills Tented Camp: best value inside the park

Vuma Hills has the same Foxes guiding and full board as Stanley’s Kopje for $10 less per person per night. It is open all year, and its larger tents suit families.

• Where: in forest on the Vuma Hills in the south-west of the park, looking north over the Mkata plains. Expert Africa puts it about 7 km from the Mikumi airstrip.
• Rooms: 16 spacious en-suite tents on wooden decks, under thatched, open-sided bandas with large verandas. Solar-heated showers, a small pool with views of the plains, and a bar built around a fire.
• November to February rates (2026–27): $285 per person per night from 1 November to 23 December and from 5 January; $310 from 24 December to 4 January. Full board; park and concession fees are extra. The reseller’s 2026–27 rate table has typos in the dates, but the $285 and $310 split matches the previous season.
• Open: all year, according to Expert Africa, Tanzania Specialists and Sun Safaris. One aggregator says June to February only; we think it has mixed it up with Stanley’s Kopje.
• Children: the Foxes policy applies (under 6 free, 6 to 14 half price, a private vehicle for children aged 8 and under). Expert Africa says children of all ages are accepted and that child-minding and board games are available; Tanzania Specialists say children must be 10 or older for shared game drives.
• Wildlife at camp: reviewers mention elephants walking right up to the raised tents at night.
• Night drives: the forested hillside is known for nocturnal species such as genets, civets, bushbabies and porcupines. Night drives need park permission and a ranger, and carry the $59 TANAPA fee.
• Who it suits: value seekers, families, and anyone travelling in the green season or from March to May. Skip it if you want to wake up in the middle of the plains, because you drive down the hill each morning.

Wellworth Mikumi Wildlife Lodge: for families and comfort

The newest lodge in the park opened in 2025 and is Mikumi’s only hotel-style lodge. Its 48 air-conditioned rooms sit on a hill at Kikoboga, every one facing a waterhole, with an infinity pool, a spa and Wi-Fi.

• Where: the Kikoboga area, about 9 km from the main gate and a short drive from Kikoboga airstrip, which makes it the easiest in-park option for a one-night fly-in.
• Rooms: 48 doubles, twins and deluxe rooms, with private balconies over the waterhole, air-conditioning, a mini-fridge and a safe. Family and interconnecting rooms are available.
• Facilities: a rim-flow pool over the Mkata floodplain, a pool bar, The Savannah Restaurant, a spa, a fitness room and free Wi-Fi.
• Rates: per room, and they change by date. In October 2026 booking sites showed from about $227 a night (Hotels.com, roughly $270 with taxes), and Tripadvisor partner prices ran from about $290 to $420. Booking sites usually sell it as B&B, so check whether dinner is included. The concession fee is extra.
• Reviews: 4.9 out of 5 on Tripadvisor, where it ranks first of four hotels in Mikumi. Reviews from mid-2026 praise the pool and the waterhole, and one reviewer’s tip is “you need at least 2 nights.”
• Who it suits: families with young children, travellers who want air-conditioning and Wi-Fi, and anyone nervous about sleeping in a tent. Purists who want canvas walls and a small camp should look at the Foxes camps.

Mikumi Wildlife Camp (Kikoboga): the old-timer

Mikumi Wildlife Camp, also called Kikoboga Lodge, has the best “waterhole from your terrace” position, right by park headquarters, but recent reviews of its value are mixed. Book it only if the price is right.

• Where: beside park headquarters at Kikoboga, about 300 m off the TanZam highway. It is close to the airstrip but within earshot of trucks.
• Rooms: 12 rooms in six stone bandas with curved verandas facing a floodlit waterhole. There is a small pool, a lookout tower and a bar built around a marula tree.
• Rates: Tripadvisor shows about $263 to $337 for a standard room, with partner offers from about $206. One critical reviewer paid “US$300+ for a double in low season” and complained about confusion over payment; another reported limited electricity and an empty pool. Next door, Mikumi Wilderness Camp is listed on Booking.com from about $270.
• Who it suits: independent travellers who want to sleep inside the park at a mid-range price. For a special occasion, when reliability matters, pick Wellworth or a Foxes camp instead.

TANAPA cottages, rest house and campsites: the cheapest way to sleep inside

TANAPA’s own Mikumi cottages and rest house are the cheapest beds inside the park, at $59 single or $88.50 double, B&B with VAT. They are basic, and most bookings come through operators selling budget “bandas” packages.

• Many of the cheapest two-day packages from Zanzibar (“overnight at Mikumi bandas”) use these park-run cottages.
• Public campsites ($35.40 per person) need your own gear. Special campsites ($59 per person) are private wilderness pitches with no facilities and must be booked.
• Who it suits: budget travellers and residents. Skip it if you want a pool, good food or reliable hot water.

Where can I stay just outside Mikumi?

Mikumi town, on the highway just west of the park, has the cheapest beds. The standouts are Tan-Swiss Lodge (about $90 for a double), Camp Bastian (about $110 to $230 a room) and Angalia Tented Camp, with five bandas at $300 for a double, full board. None of them charges the concession fee, but every game drive starts with a drive to the gate. To compare everything on the map, browse all stays in Mikumi town.

Lodges outside the park compared

Where the listings disagree:

• Tan-Swiss distance: one listing puts it 2 km west of the park boundary, another 17 km from the main gate. Both can be true: the highway runs through the park, so the boundary is close but the main gate is further away.
• Camp Bastian noise: guests rate it highly (4.7 out of 5), but a Trip.com reviewer warns that it sits by the main highway and a truck stop, so you may “hear the roar of heavy lorries rather than lions.”
• Angalia is sometimes advertised as “inside the park”, but Tripadvisor reviewers describe it as just outside. Treat it as outside the park, with no concession fee.
• Names we could not check: we could not verify current details for Genesis Motel, Mikumi Eco Lodge or Mbega Lodge in October 2026, so we leave them out.

Combining Mikumi with Udzungwa?

For Udzungwa’s rainforest hikes, base yourself at Hondo Hondo (Udzungwa Forest Tented Camp) at Mang’ula. It has six en-suite tents and five simple bandas on the forest edge; colobus monkeys visit the grounds and 86 bird species have been recorded there. Full-board rates are about $112 per person from 1 November to 15 December 2026 and $160 from 16 December 2026 to 28 February 2027. Stanley’s Kopje also runs an Udzungwa excursion for about $165 per person, minimum two people.

Which Mikumi camp should I choose?

For most visitors from Zanzibar travelling between November and February, book Stanley’s Kopje. Choose Vuma Hills if Stanley’s Kopje is full or you want to save $10 per person a night, and Wellworth if you have young children or need air-conditioning.

How much does one night in Mikumi cost?

Two adults spending one night at a Foxes camp pay about $770 to $790 for the room, meals and park fees alone, before flights, drives and a guide. That is why operators’ two-day fly-in packages, quoted at about $850 to $1,000 per person, usually work out cheaper than booking the pieces yourself.

A worked example for two adults, one night in mid-November at Vuma Hills:

From 24 December to 4 January, add $25 per person per night at either Foxes camp. For comparison, the shared fly-in day safari with flights and lunch starts at $430 per person on GetYourGuide (4.7 out of 5 from 3,197 reviews), and the fly-in day safari on Viator at $500 (4.95 out of 5 from 417 reviews). A night costs roughly double, but gives you about three times as many hours of game viewing, at the best times of day.

How do I get to my Mikumi lodge from Zanzibar?

You can fly or go overland. Light aircraft from Zanzibar reach Kikoboga airstrip in 45 to 60 minutes, taking off between 07:00 and 07:45, with the return flight around 15:00. Overland, you take the ferry to Dar es Salaam, the SGR train to Morogoro (about 1 hour 40 minutes; TZS 13,000 for an adult in standard class, the fare LATRA set in June 2024, half price for children aged 4 to 12), then a road transfer to Mikumi.

Option 1: fly in (best for one night)

• Airstrip: Kikoboga (HTMK), a 1,330 m gravel strip run by TANAPA in the centre of the park.
• Timings: the most-booked GetYourGuide day trip takes off from Zanzibar between 07:00 and 07:45, starts its game drive at about 08:30 and flies back at about 15:00. Overnight packages use the same flights on day one and day two. Times change with the schedule; see pickup times from your Zanzibar hotel.
• Airlines: packages use regional carriers such as Coastal Aviation, Auric Air and Safari Air Link. Foxes uses Safari Air Link in its own itineraries.
• Luggage: the normal limit on these aircraft is 15 kg in soft bags. Leave the rest at your Zanzibar hotel.
• Two-day fly-in prices (October 2026): operators’ own sites list, per person for two travellers, $850 (Rede Tours), $910 (Zanzibar World; Blue Green Zanzibar Tours), $937 staying at the TANAPA bandas (mikuminationalpark.net) and $985 (SafariBando). Tripadvisor lists private two-day flight safaris with an optional night drive from $1,500 per person. GetYourGuide lists a few two-day fly-in safaris, but none had more than four reviews when we checked in October 2026, so we do not link them; book direct and ask which lodge is named before you pay. As a rule of thumb, $850 to $1,000 per person usually means a shared vehicle or a budget lodge, and above $1,200 usually means a private vehicle, a Foxes camp, or both.

Option 2: ferry, SGR train and road (cheaper, longer)

• Take the ferry from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam, then the SGR electric train from Magufuli station to Morogoro. It takes about 1 hour 40 minutes, and the adult standard-class fare set by LATRA is TZS 13,000 (roughly $5); children aged 4 to 12 pay half (TZS 6,500). Business class costs more.
• The road from Morogoro to the Mikumi gate takes about two hours on the TanZam highway.
• On GetYourGuide, the overland trips run three days. The three-day ferry-and-train safari with a Maasai village visit costs from $570 with two lodge nights (4.97 out of 5, 26 reviews), and the Mikumi 3-Day Safari from Zanzibar by Ferry and SGR Train from $700, with two B&B nights at Chambo Villas outside the park (4.95 out of 5, 17 reviews). Both are thin on reviews so far. Tripadvisor has three-day SGR packages from about $975 per person.
• More detail: flying vs driving from Zanzibar and Mikumi by ferry and road.

What does a night in Mikumi add over a day trip?

A night gives you the two best game-viewing windows, late afternoon and dawn, plus the chance of a night drive. That roughly triples the hours you spend game viewing at good times. A day trip arrives mid-morning and leaves mid-afternoon, the hottest and quietest part of the day. For the full trade-off, see one day vs two days in Mikumi, and for the day-trip timings, our hour-by-hour day-trip itinerary.

Sample one-night itinerary (fly-in, Wellworth or Vuma Hills)

• Day 1: fly Zanzibar to Kikoboga between 07:00 and 07:45; game drive on the way to the lodge from about 08:30; lunch and a break by the pool; afternoon drive on the Mkata floodplain from 15:30 to 18:00; sundowner; dinner; optional night drive ($59 per person TANAPA fee plus the camp’s charge).
• Day 2: dawn drive from 06:00, while lions and hyenas are still active; late breakfast; drive back via the hippo pool; flight to Zanzibar at about 15:00.

Sample two-night itinerary (Stanley’s Kopje or Vuma Hills)

• Day 1: fly in, game drive to camp, afternoon drive, sundowner over the waterhole.
• Day 2: dawn drive, bush breakfast, siesta, afternoon drive to the far side of the floodplain; optional guided walk ($23.60 per person TANAPA fee) or night drive.
• Day 3: a final dawn drive, then the flight back at about 15:00.

Keen hikers can add Udzungwa (Hondo Hondo) as a third night. Our 7, 10 and 14-night Zanzibar itineraries show where a Mikumi night fits into a week or two on the island.

What’s different about staying in Mikumi from November to February?

It is the green season: short rains, lush plains, newborn animals and shoulder-season rates. But Stanley’s Kopje closes after February, the Foxes camps charge $25 per person more a night from 24 December to 4 January, and the small camps fill up early over Christmas.

• Rain: the short rains arrive in November and December, usually as afternoon showers rather than all-day downpours. January and February are often drier and hot. See Mikumi in November, Mikumi in January and February and our month-by-month guide.
• Flight disruption: storms can delay light aircraft, one more reason an overnight is safer than a day trip. See weather cancellations.
• Calving and birds: impala and other antelope give birth in the green season, and migrant birds are around. See calving: Mikumi vs Serengeti and birding in Mikumi.
• Festive rates and availability: Stanley’s Kopje has only 12 tents and Vuma Hills 16, so Christmas and New Year sell out months ahead. See Christmas and New Year in Mikumi.
• Closures: Stanley’s Kopje is open roughly 1 June to 28 February. Vuma Hills, Wellworth and the Kikoboga lodges stay open.
• Mosquitoes: there are more after rain, so take malaria tablets and use repellent and nets. See malaria in Mikumi.

If you are weighing Mikumi against a wilder park for a longer stay, Mikumi vs Ruaha, Mikumi vs Nyerere and Mikumi vs Saadani compare the options.

Practical tips for an overnight in Mikumi

Buy the mandatory inbound travel insurance ($44), pack light in a soft bag, keep cash for tips, and never walk around an unfenced camp after dark without an escort.

• Mandatory inbound insurance: from 1 October 2026, foreign visitors entering mainland Tanzania must hold the government’s inbound travel insurance, which costs $44 and is valid for up to 92 days. Finance Minister Khamis Mussa Omar signed the Insurance (Inbound Travel Insurance) Regulations, 2026 on 31 August 2026, and they were gazetted as Government Notice No. 256 on 4 September 2026. The National Insurance Corporation (NIC) sells the policy, and under Regulation 4 a foreigner who arrives without a valid policy shall be denied entry. Zanzibar has required its own ZIC policy since 1 October 2024: $44 for adults, $22 for children aged 3 to 17, free for under-3s. You buy one policy at your first point of entry, and it covers the rest of the trip, including the flight to Mikumi. It does not replace your own travel insurance, which you still need for cancellation and evacuation. See Zanzibar travel insurance.
• Malaria: Mikumi is a malaria area all year; see malaria in Mikumi.
• Luggage: 15 kg in soft bags on light aircraft. See what to pack.
• Tipping: budget roughly $10 to $20 per guest per day for your guide, plus a tip for the camp staff box. Mmary Wild Expedition, which sells Mikumi trips on GetYourGuide, suggests $20 per person per day.
• Safety at unfenced camps: Stanley’s Kopje, Vuma Hills and the Kikoboga lodges are unfenced, and elephants and buffalo walk through them. After dark, always ask for an escort to your tent, children included.
• Power and Wi-Fi: the Foxes camps run on solar and generator power, with charging in the main area. Wellworth has power in the rooms, air-conditioning and Wi-Fi. Guests have reported limited electricity at the older Kikoboga camp. Bring a power bank.
• Payment: card surcharges are common (5% at Stanley’s Kopje). Carry US dollar notes printed after 2009 for extras.
• Your international flight: get back to Zanzibar at least two nights before your flight home, in case weather delays the light aircraft.

FAQ

What is the best lodge in Mikumi National Park? Stanley’s Kopje is our pick for game viewing: 12 tents on a kopje above the Mwanamboga waterhole, at $295 per person full board from 1 November to 23 December. Vuma Hills is the best value, and Wellworth Mikumi Wildlife Lodge suits families best.

How much does Stanley’s Kopje cost per night? For 2026–27, $295 per person per night full board from 1 November to 23 December and from 5 January, and $320 from 24 December to 4 January. Park and concession fees are extra. The camp is closed from March to May.

Is Vuma Hills Tented Camp good? Yes. It is a good-value Foxes camp with 16 large tents, a pool and views of the plains, open all year, at $285 per person full board ($310 over the festive period). The trade-off is a drive down from the hills to the main floodplain.

What is the Mikumi concession fee? $25 plus 18% VAT, so $29.50 per adult per night ($11.80 for children aged 5 to 15). You pay it only when you sleep inside the park, on top of the $35.40 daily conservation fee.

Can I stay overnight in Mikumi on a budget? Yes. Tan-Swiss Lodge in Mikumi town costs about $90 for a double, and TANAPA’s cottages inside the park cost $88.50 for a double, B&B. Operators’ budget two-day packages that use the park bandas start under $1,000 per person including flights.

Is Stanley’s Kopje open in February? Yes. It is open roughly 1 June to 28 February, so February is the last month before it closes for the long rains.

Are night game drives allowed in Mikumi? Yes, under TANAPA’s guidelines. They cost $50 plus VAT, so $59 per adult ($29.50 per child), and are arranged through your camp, with a ranger.

How do I get from Zanzibar to a Mikumi lodge? Fly to Kikoboga airstrip (45 to 60 minutes, taking off between 07:00 and 07:45), or take the ferry to Dar es Salaam, the SGR train to Morogoro (about 1 hour 40 minutes; LATRA’s adult standard-class fare is TZS 13,000) and a road transfer.

Which Mikumi lodge is best for families? Wellworth Mikumi Wildlife Lodge, which has family and interconnecting rooms, air-conditioning and a pool. At the Foxes camps children under 6 stay free, but families with children aged 8 and under must book a private vehicle.

Do I need travel insurance to visit Mikumi? Yes. Since 1 October 2026, mainland Tanzania has required a $44 government inbound policy, valid for 92 days. Visitors who arrive via Zanzibar buy Zanzibar’s equivalent instead, and one policy bought at your first point of entry covers the whole trip.

Final verdict

If you spend one night in Mikumi, spend it inside the park. The $29.50 concession fee is small next to what it buys: sunset, dawn, and elephants at the waterhole while you eat dinner. Choose Stanley’s Kopje for game viewing (book before it closes at the end of February), Vuma Hills for value and year-round opening, and Wellworth for families and comfort. On a tight budget, Tan-Swiss in town is clean and fairly priced, but your sunset ends at the gate. If one day is all you have, what a Mikumi day trip costs and includes and private vs shared safaris cover the day-trip side.

How we checked this guide

In October 2026 we checked every price and policy against TANAPA’s published tariff (still the 2023/24 schedule on its website, with the note that all charges exclude 18% VAT), the Foxes Safari Camps rate sheets as published by their reseller Chalo Africa, lodge profiles from Expert Africa, Tanzania Specialists and Sun Safaris, the official Angalia Tented Camp and Wellworth Collection pages, current booking-site prices (Tripadvisor, Hotels.com, Booking.com, ZenHotels, Priceline), package listings on GetYourGuide, Viator, Tripadvisor and operators’ own sites, LATRA and TRC SGR fares, and the Tanzanian Ministry of Finance notice on inbound travel insurance as reported by TATO and TanzaniaInvest.

Where sources disagreed, we say so in the text: whether Stanley’s Kopje is open all year or June to February, the age limits for children at Vuma Hills, Tan-Swiss’s distance from the gate, and the unconfirmed 15% fee rise. Booking-site prices change daily, so treat them as a guide and check your own dates. No lodge in this guide has paid us. The hotel links go to Booking.com through Stay22, and we earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you.

Decided on Mikumi? Every safari we list books with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure — compare them all.