Southern Circuit · 2 days · Private
2-Day Udzungwa Mountains Hiking and Waterfall Safari
Tanzania’s only park you visit entirely on foot. Rainforest that has been forest for thirty million years, two endemic monkeys, and a 170-metre waterfall at the end of the trail.
- Duration
- 2 days, 1 nights
- Group
- Private
- Activity
- Rainforest hiking, waterfall, primate watching
- Starts
- Dar es Salaam
- Ends
- Dar es Salaam
- Best months
- June to February. The trails are slippery and leech-prone in the long rains.
Udzungwa Mountains National Park is the odd one out in the Tanzanian park system. There are no game drives here, because there are no roads to drive: you see it on foot or not at all. What it protects is an unbroken block of rainforest running up the Eastern Arc mountains, forest that has been forest for something like thirty million years, and that continuity is why so much of what lives here lives nowhere else.
What you walk to. The Sanje waterfall trail is the classic: about three hours up through forest to a 170-metre fall in three tiers, with a pool at the middle stage you can swim in and a viewpoint out over the Kilombero floodplain. It is a real climb, roughly 700 metres of ascent, on a rough path with roots and steps.
What lives here. The Iringa red colobus and the Sanje mangabey are found in these mountains and nowhere else on earth; the mangabey was not described by science until 1979. Add Angola colobus, blue monkey, forest birds and, if you are lucky and quiet, elephant sign on the lower trails.
Who it suits. Walkers, birders and anyone who has had enough of sitting in a vehicle. It is not a big-game trip and we will not pretend otherwise. It pairs extremely well with Mikumi National Park, which is an hour up the road, and we sell that as a separate three-day combination. See our other Tanzania safaris.
Trip highlights
- A National Park with no roads, seen entirely on foot
- The Sanje waterfall: 170 metres in three tiers, with a swimmable pool at the middle stage
- Iringa red colobus and Sanje mangabey, both found in these mountains and nowhere else
- Thirty-million-year-old Eastern Arc rainforest, one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots
- A viewpoint over the Kilombero floodplain from halfway up the trail
- A park ranger guide who knows where the primate troops have been moving
Day by day
Day 1 Dar es Salaam to Udzungwa, and the lower trail
Leave Dar after breakfast and drive west through Morogoro and past the Mikumi park boundary, roughly six hours. Check in near Mang'ula in the afternoon and take the short lower forest trail with a ranger to get your legs and your eyes in.
Meals: Lunch, dinner
Day 2 the Sanje waterfall, then back to Dar
An early start on the Sanje trail: about three hours up through forest to the top of the falls, with primate stops on the way and a swim at the middle pool. Roughly two hours down. Lunch, then the drive back to Dar, arriving in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
What is included
Included
- Pickup and drop-off in Dar es Salaam
- Private vehicle with fuel and a licensed English-speaking driver-guide
- One night’s accommodation near the park
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- Udzungwa Mountains National Park entry fees and government levies
- Compulsory park ranger guide on all trails
- Drinking water throughout
Not included
- International and domestic flights unless stated in the itinerary
- Visa and travel insurance
- Drinks other than the water provided
- Tips for your guide and camp staff
- Anything personal
Before you travel
Pickup and meeting point
We collect you from your hotel in Dar es Salaam, or from Julius Nyerere International Airport if you are arriving the same morning. Give us the property name and your flight details when you book and we confirm the pickup time the evening before.
What to bring
Proper walking boots with grip and ankle support, not trainers. Long trousers and long sleeves against leeches and stinging plants. A waterproof: it is rainforest and it rains. At least two litres of water capacity. Swimwear and a small towel for the waterfall pool. Insect repellent. Binoculars for the canopy.
Safety
Every trail requires a park ranger guide and you walk with one. The Sanje trail is steep, rooty and slippery, particularly on the descent, and there is exposure near the top of the falls where you stay behind the guide. This is a malaria area: take prophylaxis and cover up at dusk. You travel in a maintained 4x4 with a licensed Tanzanian driver-guide. Seat belts are fitted in every seat. We carry a first aid kit and drinking water. Travel insurance is not included and we recommend you arrange it before you come.
Questions about this trip
How hard is the Sanje waterfall hike?
About 700 metres of ascent over roughly three hours, on a rough forest path with roots and rock steps. It is a genuine hill walk. Fit people of any age manage it; it is not for anyone who cannot walk uphill for three hours.
Can we do game drives in Udzungwa?
No. There are no game-viewing roads in the park at all. If you want game drives as well, take the Mikumi and Udzungwa combination instead, which gives you both.
Will we see the endemic monkeys?
The Iringa red colobus is seen on most walks. The Sanje mangabey is shyer and less reliable. Your ranger will know where the troops have been.
Are there leeches?
In the wetter months, yes, on the lower trails. They are harmless and long trousers tucked into socks deal with them.
Can we swim at the waterfall?
Yes, at the pool on the middle tier. The water is cold and the rocks are slippery. It is at your own risk and your guide will show you where it is safe.
Other trips in this circuit
3-Day Nyerere National Park Boat and Game Drive Safari from Dar es Salaam
The Rufiji river is what makes Nyerere different from every northern park. Three days by road from Dar…
3-Day Mikumi and Udzungwa Safari and Hiking Combination
Two parks that could not be less alike, an hour apart. Open floodplain with elephant and lion at…
6-Day Southern Circuit Safari: Mikumi, Udzungwa and Nyerere
Three southern parks in one loop from Dar: open floodplain game drives at Mikumi, a rainforest waterfall on…
Where this trip goes
Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Rainforest, waterfalls and endemic primates in the Eastern Arc mountains. A walking park rather than a game-drive park,…
Mikumi National Park
Mikumi covers 3,230 square kilometres and borders Nyerere National Park. Open Mkata floodplain, elephant, buffalo and over 400…
Book this trip
Three short steps. We reply with a costed day-by-day itinerary for your dates. Nothing is confirmed and no payment is taken until you are happy with it.