Udzungwa Mountains National Park

Established in 1992, Udzungwa Mountains National Park encompasses 1,990 square kilometers (770 square miles) across the Kilolo District of the Iringa Region and the Kilombero District of the Morogoro Region in south-central Tanzania. As part of the ancient Eastern Arc Mountains, the park features a continuous vertical elevation range from 250 meters up to 2,576 meters at the Luhombero peak. The landscape encompasses diverse habitats, including lowland tropical rainforests, montane forests, miombo woodlands, grasslands, heathlands, and dramatic waterfalls such as the 170-meter Sanje Falls. The name Udzungwa derives from Wadzungwa, a Kihehe word referring to the native sub-tribe of the Hehe people who historically inhabited the mountain slopes.The park is recognized for its extraordinary biodiversity and high rate of endemism, containing over 2,500 plant species—a quarter of which are endemic—ranging from small African violets to tall canopy trees. It harbors six primate species, notably including the endemic Udzungwa red colobus and the Sanje crested mangabey. Other wildlife inhabiting the forest and woodland habitats include African elephants, leopards, buffaloes, bushbucks, Abbott's duikers, palm civets, and the endemic grey-faced sengi. Birdlife is exceptionally rich with over 400 recorded species, including the endemic Udzungwa forest partridge and rufous-winged sunbird, along with crowned eagles and silvery-cheeked hornbills.Because no roads traverse the interior of the national park, visitor activities center entirely on guided hiking, birdwatching, and wilderness camping. Popular trekking routes range from short walks to Prince Bernhard Falls and Sonjo Falls to multi-day ascents along the Mwanihana Peak and Lumemo trails. Visitors access the park by road from Dar es Salaam or via the TAZARA railway running along the southern escarpment. Conservation initiatives in the park focus on preserving forest corridors and managing community use in coordination with bodies such as the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Eastern Arc Mountains Conservation Endowment Fund.