| UDZUNGWA
MOUNTAIN
Things to do
The Park is a magnet for hikers as is quite typical
wilderness since the access of most areas is by foot.
Mountains climbing , Hiking , bird watching and camping
safaris are the major activity in the park, an excellent
network of forest trails go through beautiful sceneries,
trails are maintained regularly to allow access for
visitors in different parts of the park.
Tourists trails
Mountain climbing and Hiking being the major activity,
currently there are ten tourists trails in the
eastern and western part of the park.
Eastern trails
Mwanihana and Lumemo trails for hiking to Mwanihana
peak the second highest peak 2500masl, Sanje trails
for hiking to Sanje waterfall, Prince Bernhard trail
for hiking to Prince Bernhard and Njokamoni waterfall,
Sonjo trail hiking to Sonjo waterfall and Njokamoni
Mwaya waterfalls trail.
Western trails
Mbatwa trails for hiking to Mwanaluvele cave, Ibito
valley and Ngungumbi swamp.
Udekwa trails for hiking to Lohomero peak the highest
peak in the park 2576masl, Chavemba peak at Ndundulu
Mountains, and Nyumbanitu.
Accommodation
Park facilities Rest house, Twiga hotel, Several campsites
have been established inside the park some near to the
Park headquarter and other along the trails, those wishing
to camp should bring camping gears also there are some
hotel, and guest house nearby the park, supplies are
available at Mwaya, village near park headquarters.
Fauna
The park is the only one in Tanzania that accommodates
eleven primate species with five endemic species of
which three are diurnal Sanje Mangabey (Cercocebus sanjei),
new discovered monkey (Rungwecerbus kipunji) and Iringa
red colobus Monkey(Colobus gordonorum) (both on the
IUCN red list), and two nocturnal Matundu dwarf Galago
(Galagoides udzungwensis)and Mountain dwarf Galago (Galagoides
orinus). Other primates are Black and white Colobus
Monkey(Colobus angolensis),Yellow baboon (Papio c. cynocephulus),
Blue Monkey (Cercopithecus mitis), Vervet Monkey (Cercopithecus
aethiops).
Note: Strict rules are
in place to safeguard you and the primates. Alow at
least 2 days to see them this is not a zoo so
there are no guarantees where they will be each day.
The park is also a home to animals like Elephants, Buffaloes,
Lion, Leopard, Abbot duikers, Red duikers, Blue duikers,
Bushbucks, Bush pigs, Honey badgers, Civets, Hippopotamus,
Sables, Klipspringers, pangolins, Mongoose, squirrels,
Hyraxes and others. Depending where and when one go.
Birds life
The park has second highest bird diversity in Africa
behind only the Ituri forest in the Democratic Republic
of Congo. Ornithologist are attracted to Park for an
avian wealth as the forest is rich in birds habitat
embracing more than 250 species, from the lovely and
more than a dozen secretive Eastern Arc endemics species
like Rufous winged sunbird and Udzungwa partridge a
forest partridge first discovered in 1991 and more closely
related to an Asian Genus than to any other African
fowl.
Reptiles and Amphibians
The Park also is attractive to herpetologist as harbors
a dozen of Reptiles and amphibians which some of them
are endemic to the Park like Cnemaspis uzungwae, Phrynobatrachus
uzungwensis
Flora
The Park Mountains is unique as the only national park
in Tanzania having close canopy and unbroken forest
from lowland rainforest at 250m asl rising to highland
forest 2576m asl the highest peak in the park. The park
has plants from small plants like Saint paullia to big
tree over 30m high like Sterculia appendiculata and
Antiaris toxicaria.
The park has more than 2500 plants species over 160
species known as medicinal plants, botanists have recently
discovered several endemic plants in the park.
The park is also a home to animals like Elephants,
Buffaloes, Lion, Leopard, Abbot duikers, Red duikers,
Blue duikers, Bushbucks, Bush pigs, Honey badgers, Civets,
Hippopotamus, Sables, Klipspringers, pangolins, Mongoose,
squirrels, Hyraxes and others. Depending where and when
one go.
Birds life
The park has second highest bird diversity in Africa
behind only the Ituri forest in the Democratic Republic
of Congo. Ornithologist are attracted to Park for an
avian wealth as the forest is rich in birds habitat
embracing more than 250 species, from the lovely and
more than a dozen secretive Eastern Arc endemics species
like Rufous winged sunbird and Udzungwa partridge a
forest partridge first discovered in 1991 and more closely
related to an Asian Genus than to any other African
fowl. |