Southern Circuit
Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Eastern Arc rainforest, tall waterfalls and primates found nowhere else on earth.
- Size
- Approximately 1,900 km²
- Altitude
- From roughly 250 m in the lowlands to above 2,500 m on the highest peaks
- Established
- Gazetted as a national park in 1992
- Best for
- Rainforest walking, waterfalls and endemic primates — no game drives
The Udzungwa Mountains are the largest block of the Eastern Arc Mountains, an ancient chain of forested ranges running through Tanzania and south-eastern Kenya. Because these forests have been climatically stable for a very long time, they have accumulated an extraordinary number of species found nowhere else — plants, amphibians, birds and primates — and are recognised internationally as a biodiversity hotspot.
The national park covers roughly 1,900 km² and is unusual in Tanzania for having continuous forest from the lowlands at around 250 m to peaks above 2,500 m. The most popular walk climbs through the forest to the Sanje Waterfalls, which drop in stages for around 170 m; there is a pool at the base and a viewpoint at the top looking out over the sugar-cane plains far below.
Two primates here were new to science within living memory: the Udzungwa red colobus and the Sanje mangabey, the latter described by science only in the late 1970s. Seeing them takes patience, a good guide and some luck. Everything in Udzungwa is done on foot — there are no roads through the park and no game drives — which makes it a rewarding contrast to a vehicle-based safari, and a natural pairing with Mikumi or Ruaha.
Highlights
- The Sanje Waterfalls, falling in stages for approximately 170 m, with a swimming pool at the base
- Endemic primates including the Udzungwa red colobus and the Sanje mangabey (sightings not guaranteed)
- Eastern Arc rainforest, one of the most biologically important forests in Africa
- Forest walking from a half-day stroll to multi-day hikes such as the Mwanihana trail
- Outstanding forest birding, with several range-restricted Eastern Arc species
- A walking-only park — a genuine change of pace from vehicle safaris
- Easy to combine with Mikumi, and on the road route towards Ruaha
Things to do
- Half-day guided walk to the Sanje Waterfalls (the most popular route)
- Full-day Sonjo or Campsite trails through lowland forest
- Multi-day Mwanihana trail hike towards the escarpment peaks, camping en route
- Primate and birdwatching walks with a specialist guide
- Village and rice-farm visits in the communities around the park boundary
Wildlife you might see
Wildlife is wild — these are the species people hope for here, never a promise.
- Udzungwa red colobus, endemic to these mountains
- Sanje mangabey, described by science only in the late 1970s and found only here
- Angolan black-and-white colobus, blue monkey and yellow baboon
- Elephant and buffalo in the lowland forest, present but rarely seen by walkers
- Abbott’s duiker and other forest antelope, very seldom seen
- Eastern Arc forest birds including the rufous-winged sunbird and Udzungwa forest partridge (both hard to find)
- A rich amphibian, reptile and butterfly fauna, with many localised species
Planning your visit
- Best time to go
- Walking is possible year-round, but the drier months, roughly June to October and again around January to February, have the most reliable footing. Trails are steep and become slippery in the rains, and leeches are more common when it is wet; the forest is at its greenest and most active after rain.
- Getting there
- By road from Mikumi, typically around an hour and a half to two hours, or roughly five to six hours from Dar es Salaam via Morogoro. The park headquarters and trailheads are at Mang’ula. Many travellers include Udzungwa between Mikumi and Iringa or Ruaha.
- Good to know
- There are no game drives in Udzungwa — all visits are on foot, with a park guide, and a guide is compulsory.
- Trails are steep, humid and often slippery; sturdy walking shoes with grip are important and the Sanje climb is a real workout.
- Primate sightings, particularly of the Sanje mangabey, are never guaranteed.
- Leeches can be present on wet trails — long socks and trousers help; they are harmless but unwelcome.
- Accommodation is in simple lodges and guesthouses around Mang’ula; multi-day hikes involve camping.
What to see here
AdventureWalking Safaris
A walking safari changes the scale of everything. Instead of covering ground, you slow down to tracks, dung, birdsong and the smell of crushed leaves, guided by a professional walking guide accompanied by an armed ranger as park rules require. It is about understanding rather than ticking off big animals.
WildlifeBirdwatching
Tanzania is one of Africa’s richest countries for birds, with more than 1,100 species recorded. Soda lakes, savannah, coastal forest, wetland and the ancient Eastern Arc Mountains sit within a single country, and the mountain forests in particular hold species found nowhere else.
Also in the Southern Circuit
Southern Circuit
Nyerere National Park
Boat safaris on the Rufiji River in one of Africa’s great wildernesses.
Southern Circuit
Ruaha National Park
Remote, rugged and full of big cats and elephants.
Southern Circuit
Mikumi National Park
The open floodplain park that makes a real safari possible in just a couple of days.