Udzungwa Mountains National Park, Southern Tanzania
Udzungwa forms an ancient group of mountain ranges that stretch across Tanzania and Kenya, known as ‘The Eastern Arc’, formed at least 100 million years ago. The habitats contained within the national park include tropical rainforest, mountain forest, miombo woodland, grassland, and steppe.
The park harbors 30-40% of endemic, rare, and endangered species of plants and animals, and supports some of the most ancient and diverse biological communities in Africa. It supports a diverse, large mammal community including elephants, buffalo, lions, leopards, African wild dogs, eland, waterbuck, and sable.
Ten species of primate are found here and three are endemic: Uhehe red colobus, the Matunda galago, and the Sanje crested mangabey which was discovered in 1979. There is also a rich small bovid community including good numbers of Red, Blue, and Abbots duikers, and bushbuck. Four bird species are peculiar to Udzungwa, including the Forest partridge, first discovered in 1991 and more closely related to an Asian genus than to any other African fowl.
Activities in Udzungwa National Park
For walking enthusiasts, this is an ideal place to go. There are no roads going into the park so it is a place that must be explored on foot. The most common walk is the Sanje Waterfalls trail which takes approximately four hours to complete and allows the visitor access to the stunning 170 m waterfall and includes swimming in the waterfall plunge pools as part of the activity.
Although the park is a year-round destination, the dry season from June to October is the best time to go to Udzungwa National Park.
There is a short rain season from mid-October to December which normally pours in the afternoon. The park is generally slippery during this season.
Udzungwa experiencing a short dry season from January to March, this time the temperature at the national park is pleasant.
There is heavy rain during these months and the walking safari is uncomfortable, the trails are slippery and the views are overshadowed by fog.
