Southern Circuit, Tanzania
Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Rainforest, waterfalls and endemic primates in the Eastern Arc mountains. A walking park rather than a game-drive park, and often paired with Mikumi.
- Region
- Southern Tanzania, Morogoro and Iringa regions
- Size
- About 1,990 square kilometres
- Nearest airport
- Dar es Salaam for road access, or Mikumi by air
- Suggested stay
- One to three days
Udzungwa Mountains National Park covers about 1,990 square kilometres in south-central Tanzania and was gazetted in 1992. It protects the largest and most biologically diverse block of the Eastern Arc mountains, a chain of ancient forested ranges running from southern Kenya into Tanzania.
It is not a game-drive park. There is no road network for vehicles inside it, and the way to see Udzungwa is on foot, on trails that climb from the plain into closed-canopy rainforest.
The forest is what brings people here. Its long isolation has produced species found nowhere else, including two primates, the Iringa red colobus and the Sanje mangabey, the latter first described by science in 1979.
Why visit Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Udzungwa holds a concentration of endemic plants, amphibians and primates that has earned the Eastern Arc mountains a place among the world’s biodiversity hotspots.
The Sanje Falls trail is the best-known walk: a climb through rainforest to a waterfall of roughly 170 metres, with a view over the Kilombero valley from the top.
It also complements a game-viewing trip rather than repeating it. Two days walking in forest after a week in a vehicle is a different kind of day, and Mikumi is close enough to make the pair straightforward.
Wildlife you see here
The primates are the draw. The Iringa red colobus and the Sanje mangabey are endemic to these mountains, and Angolan black and white colobus, blue monkey and yellow baboon are all present.
Elephant and buffalo use the lower forest but are seldom seen. Birdlife is exceptional for its endemics, including the rufous-winged sunbird, described here in 1981, and the Udzungwa forest partridge.
Reptiles and amphibians are a significant part of what makes the range important scientifically, with several species known from these forests alone.
Best time to visit
June to October is the dry season, when the trails are firmest and the walking is most comfortable.
The forest is green all year. Rain falls heaviest between March and May, when trails become slippery and leeches are common on the lower paths, and again in short bursts around November and December.
How to get there
By road from Dar es Salaam the drive to the park headquarters at Mang’ula takes about five to six hours through Morogoro and Mikumi.
Most itineraries reach Udzungwa as an extension of a Mikumi trip, because Mikumi sits on the same road and adds only an hour or two.
Where to stay
Accommodation is outside the park, in and around Mang’ula near the main gate, and runs from simple guest houses to small lodges.
There is a public campsite at the headquarters. Longer routes across the range use basic mountain camps and need to be arranged in advance with the park.
Travel tips
This is a walking park. Bring shoes with grip, long trousers and rain protection, and expect to be wet from humidity even on a dry day.
A park guide is required on the trails and is arranged at the gate. The Sanje Falls walk takes most of a day; shorter loops are available.
Start early. The climb is steep in places and the heat builds through the middle of the day.
Things to do
- The Sanje Falls trail, a full-day forest walk to a waterfall of about 170 metres
- Short forest loops from the park headquarters at Mang'ula
- Primate viewing, including two species endemic to these mountains
- Birdwatching for Eastern Arc endemics
- Multi-day routes across the range, arranged in advance
Trips visiting Udzungwa Mountains National Park
We do not run a scheduled trip to Udzungwa Mountains National Park at the moment. We build one to order: tell us your dates and group size and we will send a costed itinerary.
Safaris we run now
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Prison Island Half-Day Tour
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Combine it with
Parks on the same circuit, close enough to reach in the same trip.
Common questions
Can you do a game drive in Udzungwa?
No. There is no internal road network for game drives. Udzungwa is walked, on guided forest trails from the park headquarters.
How long is the Sanje Falls walk?
It takes most of a day, climbing through rainforest to a waterfall of roughly 170 metres with a viewpoint over the Kilombero valley. Shorter loops are available for a half day.
What makes Udzungwa important?
It protects the largest block of the Eastern Arc mountains, an ancient and isolated forest chain with a high number of species found nowhere else, including the Iringa red colobus and the Sanje mangabey.
Can Udzungwa be combined with Mikumi?
Yes, and it usually is. Mikumi is on the same road from Dar es Salaam, so adding Udzungwa costs an hour or two of driving and turns a game-viewing trip into a mixed one.