Planning a Trip to Udzungwa Mountains NP
Udzungwa Mountains National park.
In the eastern arc highlands of central Tanzania, 60 kilometers south of Mikumi National Park on the Mikumi Ifakara road, is the wildlife sanctuary known as Udzugwa highlands National Park. It is situated between the Iringa and Morogoro districts. The world’s first national park was established in 1992 by prince Albert II of the Netherlands, the founder of the world’s first global network.
National parks include those in the Udzugwa Mountains. Wasungwa, a Kihehe word meaning “people who live on the sides of the mountains,” served as the inspiration for the name of the Udzugwa Mountains National Park.
Attractions in Udzugwa mountains national park.
Wildlife:
Udzungwa national park is home to a number of wildlife species because it has got abundant wildlife including animals like elephants, hunting dogs, leopards, duikers, buffaloes, bushbucks, six primate species like Iringa red colobus and Sanje mangabey which are only found in Udzungwe mountains national park.
Birds:
With approximately 400 bird species, including endemics to the eastern arc and forest bird species, Udzugwa Mountains National Park is one of Tanzania’s top destinations for birdwatchers. Among the bird species that can be seen are the woodland kingfisher, crowned eagle, green-headed oriole, marabou stork, ruppell’s vulture, and silvery-checked hornbill.
Top things to do in Udzungwa mountains national park.
Bird watching;
Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountains National Park is one of the best places to go bird watching because it is home to over 400 different bird species, including endemic, forest, and water birds. A knowledgeable bird guide can help you spot various bird species in the park early in the morning or late at night. These include the rufous winged sunbird, African marabou, crowned eagle, kilombero weaver, white-tailed cisticola, uluguru violet-backed sunbird, Retz’s helmet shrike, black and white shrike flycatcher, living stones turaco, palm nut vulture, trumpeter hornbill, green
Hiking:
Due to the lack of game drives on the park’s roads, this is one of the main activities. An armed park ranger will be assigned to you for the duration of your hiking safari after you receive a briefing at the park headquarters. He or she will keep you safe from harm and show you different trails to use. The Sonje waterfalls trail, which takes about 4 hours to complete and offers views of the stunning 170-meter waterfall, views of monkeys, and the opportunity to swim in waterfall plunge pools, is the most popular of the park’s many hiking trails. Other trails range from short 20-minute strolls to five-day hikes to the Lumemo trail.
The longest hike in the park, which lasts nearly a day, is the Hidden Valleys Trail. It takes around 6 to 7 hours to hike through the Njokamoni and Moyer rivers, green valleys, and tracks left by elephants and buffalo.
Sonjo waterfall trail:
Because the trail is short and the path is not steep, it is an excellent hiking trail for those who are not as experienced. You can see many bird species, monkeys, and plant species while climbing to Sonjo waterfall, which takes around 35 minutes to reach after passing through beautiful rain forest.
Prince Berhards waterfalls:
This park’s Bernhard Waterfall is named after the Dutch nobleman of the same name. When he founded the Udzunghwa Mountains National Park, he was around 84 years old and unable to trek up to the Sanje waterfalls, so he instead took the short trail that leads 500 meters from the park headquarters.
Mwanihana peak trail:
The Miombo woods, grassy plateaus, montane forest, bamboo forest, diverse occupants, and Sonjo route are all traversed by this trail, which begins in Sonjo hamlet. You can see elephants, various plant types, vibrant bird species, and lovely landscape when trekking the Mwanihana peak trail, among other things.
Njonkamoni waterfalls trail:
Because it is roughly 6.5 km long and rises to a comparable altitude as the Sonje waterfalls route, it is another trail. Since the trail is less traveled, you may see monkeys along the way.
Cycling:
One of the places in Tanzania that offers the thrilling cycling activity is the Udzungwa Mountains National Park, where you may use a bicycle to travel throughout the area. Cycling begins with a briefing at the park headquarters where you will be assigned a knowledgeable park guide who is familiar with the park’s animals and recommended routes. You can experience African village life while cycling, where you can see and interact with the locals and see wildlife species like elephants, duikers, and bushbucks as well as colorful bird species. You can also visit plantations for rubber and sugarcane, among other things, to create lifelong memories. You can rent bicycles in Hondo Hondo or the Udzungwa Forest Camp.
Best time to visit Udzungwa Mountains National park.
The best time to visit Udzungwa Mountains National Park is from June to October during the dry season, when there is less rainfall than in the wet season, when the trails are muddy and slippery. The park is open all year round, but the best time to visit is from June to October.
Where to stay on during your safari in Udzungwa national park.
The Udzungwa Mountains National Park offers a variety of places for you to stay while on a safari. There are a variety of lodging options, including Angalia Tented Camp, Udzungwa Mountain View Camp, Hondo Hondo Udzungwa Forest Tented Camp, Udzungwa Forest Tented Camp, and Udzungwa Falls Lodge.
How to get to Udzungwa Mountains national park.
The national park is accessible by road, train, and air travel and is situated 360 kilometers west of Dar es Salaam, about 60 kilometers from Mikumi National Park.
Road transport.
There are several methods to get reach the park by private or self-driving vehicle when using road transportation. As a result, it will take you around 4 hours to drive from Dar es Salaam to the park headquarters via Chalinze, Morongoro, Mikumi national park, and Mikumi town.
Train:
You can use the Tazara railway from Dar es Salaam to Zambia on Tuesdays and Fridays to get to Udzungwa National Park. About a 6- to 7-hour trip from Dar es Salaam to the park’s administrative center passes via the Selous Game Reserve, where you may see a variety of wildlife.
Air transport:
You can also get to Udzungwa National Park by air, taking scheduled or private flights from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar to Udzungwa or Kilombero. You can drive to Udzungwa National Park after taking a flight from Dar es Salaam to Mikumi Airport.
Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountains National Park is a fascinating and exceptional wilderness environment, despite the fact that it hasn’t become very well known among tourists. You can combine a trip to the Udzungwa Mountains National Park with a game drive in the Selous Game Reserve, Mikumi National Park, or Ruaha National Park to see a variety of wild species. Contact Adventure in the Wild Safaris for additional details on the Udzungwa Mountains National Park.