Located in Tanzania’s very north close to the Pare Mountains, Mkomazi Game Reserve is the focus of an intensive breeding program to save the endangered black rhinos. Tourist facilities in this remote area are very sparse, so not many ‘Mzungus’ – as white people are called around here – will bother to visit Mkomazi. It’s a place reserved for truly interested visitors.

The savannah and grasslands around Mkomazi Game Reserve are perfect for black rhinos. You can spot them best at their water holes, so make sure not to go there during the dry season. The reserve does have a wide variety of indigenous snakes, African wild dogs have also recently been introduced to the region.

During the rainy season, large herds of elephant, oryx and zebra wander through the parks. The 1262 km reserve is predominantly dry and supports savannah vegetation which is also home to the “big five” (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard.) The park boasts 78 kinds of mammals and over 400 bird species.