Udzungwa Mountain National Park
National Park – Terrestrial Park
The Udzungwa Mountain National Park, which is 1990 square kilometers, is the first terrestrial national park in Tanzania. It is well known for its biologically diverse forest with approximately 20 – 30% out of 200 animals and plant species that grow here not found anywhere in the world.
Location
The mountains are located in the Southern Central part of Tanzania (Mang’ula in Morogoro region), rising abruptly from Kilombero Plain extend towards Iringa region. Udzungwa mountains are covered with dense forest, which supported by the heavy rainfalls
Among the factors that have contributed to the richness of this park is the altitude which ranges between 200 and 2600 meters. This helps the condensation of moist winds from the Indian Ocean, which then forms rains. This characteristic has made the Udzungwa mountains to be the source of water catchments for the tributaries of River Kilombero, which is one among two rivers that form the Rufiji River.
Main Features:
The mountain ascends from 300 meters in the great Ruaha river valley in the north and north east of Tanzania to Luhombero, its highest point at 2,576 meters above sea level. In between, there are rolling hills, dissected plateau, waterfalls and an undulating upland blanketed by a thick rain forest which colors the area with an ethereal beauty.
Wildlife:
Variety of animal species can be found here, including water buffalo, elephants, leopards and full of reptiles such as chameleon and snakes.
Other animals include rare primates red colobus, Sanje crested mangabey monkeys, black and yellow baboon, which live in slopes of mountain all sharing the same habitation.
Udzungwa National Park is now one of the top ten forests for bird conservation in Africa for and perfect for Bird Watching.
Recent News of Discovery:
Lowe’s servaline genet, photographed for the first time ever in Tanzania. an animal that had been seen only once before by explorers, 70 years ago, in the form of a single skin.
A new species of primate, the highland mangabey (Lophocebus kipunji), has been discovered by two separate teams of researchers in Tanzania. One team discovered the new species in the Ndundulu Forest in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania.
A second team identified the species at a site in the Southern Highlands, located about 350km (217mi) southwest of Ndundulu Forest (Williams.
The highland mangabey is a medium-sized primate with a long tail, well suited for its arboreal (tree-dwelling) lifestyle. It has off-white fur on its belly, black eyelids, feet, and face, and thick brown fur covering the rest of its body. Their fur is a necessary adaptation to the cold, mountain climate they inhabit which extends to elevations up to 2438m (8000ft).
The hiking safari, and bird-watching are some of the main activities here.
Some of our walking safaris examples.
Route one to ascend from Mbatwa Ranger Post (Ruaha Mtandika) to Mwanihana Peak and descending toward Sonjo, – 6 days;
Route 2 to the highest peak in Udzungwa, Luhombero from Dabaga, Iringa – takes 7 days