Usambara Mountains
Description: Due to the physical isolation and the remarkable climatological stability of this area over the last 40 million years, there is exceptional biodiversity and literally there are thousands of plant and animal species that are not found anywhere else on earth. Bird watching is especially rewarding and the views from the mountaintops stretch over the Masai Steppe and, on a clear day, as far as the Indian Ocean. While not on most safari itineraries, the Usambara Mountains provide one of the friendliest and most scenic areas of Tanzania. Most people stay in Lushoto where the altitude keeps the weather cool and there is a nice selection of budget and mid-range hotels. The Usambara Mountains near Lushoto are not actually part of a reserve or national park and the area is densely populated.
Within the Usambara region is Amani Reserves. This is one of Tanzania’s most attractive yet unvisited destinations, with wonderful scenery, impressive flora and fauna, and one of Africa’s largest botanical gardens. There are also enough hiking trails to keep one busy for weeks. This is a birdwatchers dreamland with 335 recorded species. There are few large mammals but several primates can be spotted. This is a great place for hikers and for those who want to get off the beaten path. Like the Usambara Mountains, this is a great place to spend a few days, have a great time, and save money on the budget.
Location: Lushoto is approximately half-way between Dar es Salaam and Moshi, reachable only by an approximately 4-hour drive from either.
Things 2 Do: Cultural visits, Hiking, Biking
Time: Plan to spend from a half-day to 4 days. Paths get muddy during the rainy seasons.
Animals: An impressive variety of small animals and birds. Amani Reserves has 335 recorded bird species and several primates.
Accommodations
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Irente View Cliff Lodge
Lawns Hotel
Muller’s Mountain Lodge
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Babu’s Camp
“Casey was great to work with. He always had the answers to our questions and got back to us quickly. He gave us lots of suggestions and tips things to think about that were very useful too. The pre-trip call with Casey was very helpful too. It helped ease whatever concerns we had and answered all our last-minute questions so we felt prepared for our trip. Some other things A2T helped with were details to use when filling out the Visa forms. With their info it was straightforward. They gave us guidance on exchanging money, asked what kind of soda we liked, took our dietary restrictions into account for the various camps we stayed at. All things big and small they helped us with.”