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marvelous
waterfall |
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fascinating
nature |
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sunset
in Udzungwa Mountain Nationalpark |
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Brooding and primeval, the forests of Udzungwa seem positively enchanted:
a verdant refuge of sunshine-dappled glades enclosed by 30-metre high
trees, their buttresses layered with fungi, lichens, mosses and ferns.
Udzungwa is the largest and most biodiverse of a chain of a dozen
large forest-swathed mountains that rise majestically from the flat
coastal scrub of eastern Tanzania. Known collectively as the Eastern
Arc Mountains, this archipelago of isolated massifs has also been
dubbed the African Galapagos for its treasure-trove of endemic plants
and animals, most familiarly the delicate African violet.
Udzungwa alone among the ancient ranges of the Eastern Arc has been
accorded national park status. It is also unique within Tanzania in
that its closed-canopy forest spans altitudes of 250 metres to above
2,000 metres without interruption.
Not a conventional game viewing destination, Udzungwa is a magnet
for hikers. An excellent network of forest trails includes the popular
half-day ramble to Sanje Waterfall, which plunges 170 metres through
a misty spray into the forested valley below.
Animals
and Birds
Four bird species are peculiar to Udzungwa, including a forest partridge
first discovered in 1991 and more closely related to an Asian genus
than to any other African fowl.
Of six primate species recorded, the Iringa red colobus and Sanje Crested
Mangabey both occur nowhere else in the world – the latter, remarkably,
remained undetected by biologists prior to 1979.
Undoubtedly, this great forest has yet to reveal all its treasures:
ongoing scientific exploration will surely add to its diverse catalogue
of endemics.
What to do
.) two-hour hike to the waterfall to camping safaris
.) combine with nearby Mikumi or en route to Ruaha
Seasons
It is possible all the year round although it's very slippery in the
rain season.
The dry season is from June to October before the short rains. But be
prepared for rain anytime.
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