udzungwa mountains

The Udzungwa Mountains National Park is characterized by an exceptional, unspoiled and tree-lined mountain. It is considered one of the thirty-four world Biodiversity Hotspots and one of the 200 WWF Ecoregions of global critical importance.

This park, a real magnet for hikers and a real treasure box for the unicity of its plants and animals. The primordial forest of Udzungwa seems an enchanted place, a green refuge shaded by trees up to 30 meters (100 feet) made special by incredible mushrooms, lichens, mosses and ferns.

Tourism can enjoy amazing excursions and trekking, since the park has no roads but an excellent network of forest trails that vary in difficulty: from the Sonjo path that takes just one hour, to the 6-day treks, extremely demanding and needed to complete the Lumemo Trail.

The most appreciated walk by tourists is the path of the Sanje waterfalls which takes about four hours to complete, allows the visitor access to the splendid 170 m jump, includes a swim in the pools located at the base of the falls and offers landscapes of the valley suggestive and wild beauty below.

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CLIMATE

The Park experience a rainy season and dry seasons.

Dry season runs from the June to October. Rainy season starts in November and ends around May with the long rain occurring from March to May. Mist and light rain can however be present also during dry season.

The hottest months are from October to March when temperatures range from 25°C to 30°C (77°F to 86°F) with peaks that can reach up to 35°C (95°F) before rainy season when humidity increases. The coolest months are from May to July.

Temperature can range between 17°C and 23°C (69°F 74°F), with possibility of going down to 12°C (55°F).

HISTORY

The Eastern arc ancient crystalline mountains were formed more than 200 million years ago and are a series of mountains ranging from Southern Kenya to Southern centre of Tanzania. Udzungwa Mountains National Park is part of this mountains.

Although not a conventional game viewing destination, Udzungwa is a magnet for hikers. An excellent network of forest trails includes the popular half-day walk to Sanje Waterfall, which plunges 170 metres (550 feet) through a misty spray into the forested valley below.

ANIMALS

There are six primate species that have been recorded and five of them are endemic, such as the Iringa red colobus and the Sanje crested mangabey (found only in 1979).

During the rainy season you may see some of the many beautiful butterflies flying within the park.

There are more than 400 bird species and many insects and reptiles.

vegetazione

Ci sono circa 2500 specie di piante, il 25% delle quali sono endemiche e circa 1.600 sono ufficiali.

FLORA

There are about 2500 plant species, 25% of which are endemics and about 1.600 are officials.