Kilimanjaro

Usambara Mountains

 

East Usambara:  Amani Nature Reserve

The Amani Nature Reserve is a protected area located within the Muheza and Korogwe Districts in the Tanga Region of Tanzania, in tropical East Africa. The nature reserve was established in 1997 in order to preserve the unique flora and fauna of the East Usambara Mountains. The East and West Usambara Mountains are a biodiversity hotspot. The Amani Nature Reserve includes tropical cloud forest habitats.The Amani Nature Reserve has an area of 83.8 km2 (32 sq mi), including the Amani Botanical Garden of 3 km2 (1.2 sq mi) and a further 10.7 km2 (4.1 sq mi) of forest managed by local tea estates.

 

Day 1:        Fly / Drive to Amani

You will fly for about one hour to Tanga Airport and then drive for about 38 kms to Muheza then 35 Kms to Amani or you drive over 206 kms from Dar es Salaam or 270 kms from Arusha to Muheza then drive  to Amani Nature Reserve for dinner and overnight

 

Day 2:        Spice tour

To see different spices and test spice and tea, you will be told about Stories of spices and do spice and farm tours. At a rest point you will watch a traditional dance while waiting for your traditional lunch. Traditional food is prepared with 5 to 7 different kinds of food. After lunch you will to proceed to view point and then walk back to your campsite for dinner and overnight.

        

Day 3:        Visit Amani Nature Reserve

The reserve has exceptional conservation values that include a rain forest, biological diversity, endemic, endangered and threatened flora and fauna, water catchment and soil conservation values. There are also historical sites and the famous Amani Botanical Garden.

 

Day 4:        Village Tour

Full day village tour -visit village to see butterfly farm, fishing farms, local traditional medicines, beekeeping farm, traditional food, local pubs and traditional dance etc

 

Day 5:        Drive back to Kilimanjaro / Dar es Salaam

 After breakfast drive to Tanga Airport for your flight back to Dar es salaam or Kilimanjaro or drive directly to Dar es salaam and Kilimanjaro ready for your flight back home.

 

West Usambara

 

The West Usambara Mountains are found mainly in Lushoto District. This mountain block ranges up to 2200m altitude. The area is very highly populated with about 18,1011 distributed over 215 villages.The West Usambara Mountains contain one Nature Reserve (Magamba) and 22 gazetted Forest Reserves.There is also one private forest, Mazumbai. The total area of reserves in Lushoto District is 38,087 ha.

The West Usambara Mountains have high biodiversity value and support 5 strictly endemic vertebrates and another species. There are also 27 endemic trees. This high biodiversity value is also found in invertebrates and in shrubs and herbs.

Lushoto is the main town in West Usambara. This leafy highland town is nestled in a fertile valley at about 1200m, surrounded by pines and eucalyptus mixed with banana plants and other tropical foliage. It’s the centre of the western Usambaras and makes a convenient base for hikes into the surrounding hills.

 

DAY TRIPS FROM LUSHOTO

 

Irente view point (4 -5 hours )

From the famous Irente views point you see village of Mazinde, almost 1000m below and vast Maasai steppe beyond. On return trip to Lushoto you visit Irente farm for lunch, an orphanage and blinds school, and autistic school village of Kwembago.

 

Magamba Rain Forest (5-6 hours)

This tour begins with an uphill walk from Lushoto to the royal village of Kwembago, where you lean about the cultural history of the traditional ruling clan of the Kilindi of the centuries – old kingdom of Washambara from Kwembago, you have a beautiful view over Lushoto; to the Maasai plain; you proceed to the Lushoto Magamba tropical rain forest, home to the rare black and white colubus monkey frequently visible as they sit in groups high in the in the forest canopy exchange view with each other.  The return to Lushoto passes via German middle school and the village of Magamba.

 

Usambara farm and flora (4 hours) 

This walk takes you through the fertile land of jaegertal to a fruits tree nursery where you learn about different varieties of fruits tree nursery and the propagations. You continue uphill to the village of Vuli to learn about local soil conservation and irrigation project and farming methods. You return to Lushoto.

 

Bangala River (6-5 hours)

From the village of Mbuzii which overlooks Soni and Scornful, you waves slowly down the steep slopes of the Bangala River Valley, at times wade in through cool mountain streams that offer a welcome relief from the rising savannah heat. You will see traditional irrigation system and beautifully views over the Maasai plans.

 

Growing Rocks (5 – 6 hours)

From Lushoto drive to Soni Halfway between Mombo and Lushoto, You walk to the top of Kwamongo Mountain famous for its mult colored butterflies via the Village of Shashui and Kwamula.

 

Mkuzi waterfall (6-8 hours)

Walk through a dense rain forest to Mkuzi waterfall to a cool pool at the foot of the falls. Your walk in the dense tropical rain forest you will see black and white colobus monkey and chameleon.