Top 7 Main Reasons Why You Should Visit Udzungwa National Park 2025 : Udzungwa Mountains National Park in Tanzania is a hidden jewel that provides nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers with a one-of-a-kind and unforgettable experience. This national park, located among the Eastern Arc Mountains, is home to stunning vistas, unique flora and fauna, and a variety of thrilling activities.
These are the top seven reasons to visit Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountains National Park. This vast expanse of unspoiled environment is home to around 400 animal species. The elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, African wild dog, six distinct primate species, and a diverse diversity of birdlife are among them. The Udzungwa Mountains National Park contains a variety of natural habitats, including tropical rainforest, mountain forest, miombo woodland, grassland, and steppe.
The Udzungwa Mountains National Park is situated in the center of the country, halfway between the Iringa and Morogoro provinces, and it forms part of the eastern Arc Mountain range. Along the Mikumi Ifakara road, Udzungwa is located 60 kilometers south of Mikumi National Park. The Park, which spans 1,990 square kilometers and is home to a variety of vegetation types, including tropical rainforest, Miombo woodland, grassland, and mountain forest, was designated a national park in 1992 by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, the man behind the World-Wide Fund. These types of vegetation serve as habitats for a variety of wildlife species, including six primates, over 400 bird species, 2500 plant species, hyenas, palm civets, leopards, duikers, and elephants.
The Wasungwa term, which translates to “people who live on the sides of the mountains” in Kihehe, is the source of the name of the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. Here are top seven strong arguments that will convince you that Udzungwa Mountains National Park should be at the top of your list when arranging your 2025 African travel itinerary:
- Wildlife in Udzungwa National Park
Known for its abundance of wildlife, Udzungwa Mountains National Park is home to six primate species, including the endemic Iringa red colobus and Sanje mangabey, as well as a variety of other animals like elephants, hunting dogs, leopards, duikers, buffaloes, and bushbucks.
- Bird watching
Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountains National Park is a great place to go bird watching, with over 400 different types of birds, including endemic, forest, and aquatic species. Early morning or evening bird watching is a great way to see a variety of bird species. An expert birder can assist you in identifying species like the African marabou, rufous winged sunbird, living stones turaco, palm nut vulture, trumpeter hornbill, green-backed woodpecker, crowned eagle, kilombero weaver, white-tailed cisticola, uluguru violet-backed sunbird, Retz’s helmet shrike, black and white shrike flycatcher, grey cuckoo shrike, and fork-tailed drongo, among other species.
- Hiking
Since there are no roads for wildlife drives in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park, mountain trekking is the main activity there. Hiking begins with training at the park headquarters, following which you will be paired with an armed park ranger to lead you around the various routes and keep an eye out for potential threats. The most popular hiking trail in the park is the Sanje waterfalls trail, which takes about 4 hours and allows you to view the stunning 170-meter waterfall, view monkeys, and swim in the waterfall plunge pools. There are many hiking trails in the park, ranging from short 20-minute strolls to 5-day hikes to the Lumemo Trail.
- Sanje Waterfall Trail
Because of its short length and flat terrain, this trail is suitable for less experienced hikers. It takes approximately 35 minutes to hike to the second falls of the Sanje waterfall, which passes through a pristine rainforest. Along the way, you can see various bird species, including the African marabou, living stone flycatcher, palm nut vulture, trumpeter hornbill, green-backed woodpecker, crowned eagle, kilombero weaver, primates, and various plant species.
- Prince Bernhard’s Waterfall
The park’s waterfall has the name of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, who, at the age of 84, launched the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. Unable to reach the Sanje waterfalls, he climbed the 500 meters to the park headquarters along a short trail. One can get a breathtaking perspective of Tanzania’s natural splendor by touring the park.
- Cycling
One of the greatest places in Tanzania to have a thrilling bicycle activity that allows you to explore the area on a bicycle is the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The adventure begins with a briefing at the park headquarters, where you will be paired with an expert park guide who is knowledgeable about the region’s species and recommended routes.
While cycling, you can see breathtaking scenery, wildlife such as elephants, duikers, bushbucks, and colorful bird species, and learn about the African way of life by visiting farms, schools, markets, and rubber and sugarcane plantations, among other places that will leave you with lifelong memories. You can rent bicycles for cycling from Hondo Hondo or Udzungwa Forest Camp.
- Cultural immersion and community involvement.
In addition to being a site of natural beauty, the Udzungwa Mountains National Park provides a singular chance for community engagement and cultural immersion. You’ll learn as you explore the park that the surrounding communities are crucial to maintaining its rich history and guaranteeing its sustainability.
Interacting with the local residents that live close to the park is one of the finest ways to fully immerse yourself in the culture of the area. Spend some time interacting with the warm and inviting inhabitants; they will be happy to share their customs, tales, and way of life.
Through exchanges and conversations, you will learn more about the locals’ habits, beliefs, and intimate relationships with the environment. A look into the everyday lives of those who have coexisted with the park for decades can be had by visiting neighboring communities.
You can watch customs that have been carried down through the millennia, like farming techniques, and even take part in them by grinding maize or caring for crops like the original Udzungwa beans. You will gain an appreciation and respect for the local residents’ way of life as a result of this hands-on experience, which enables you to see the relationship between them and the land they depend on.
HOW TO GET TO UDZUNGWA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Road transportation is one means to get to the park; it can be used either privately or publicly. A four-hour trip from Dar es Salaam to the park headquarters passes through Chalinze, Morongoro, Mikumi National Park, and Mikumi Town.
Air travel: You can arrange scheduled or charter flights from Dar es Salaam or Zanzibar to Udzungwa or Kilombero in order to enter the Udzungwa National Park. Alternatively, you can drive to Udzungwa National Park after taking a plane to Mikumi Airport from Dar es Salaam.
Train: The TAZARA railway travels from Dar es Salaam to Zambia on Tuesdays and Fridays, providing access to the Udzungwa National Park via train. Driving through the Selous Game Reserve takes roughly six to seven hours from Dar es Salaam to the park headquarters.
WHERE TO STAY DURING YOUR SAFARI IN UDZUNGWA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
You can spend your safari night at one of the several lodging options in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The lodging options include, but are not limited to, the Hondo-Hondo Udzungwa Forest Tented Camp, the Udzungwa Forest Tented Camp, the Udzungwa Falls Lodge, and the Udzungwa Mountain View Camp.
WHEN TO VISIT UDZUNGWA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
It is open year-round, but the best time to visit is from June to October, which is considered the dry season. This is because there is less rainfall in the forest during this time, making the walking trails more passable and drier than they are during the wet season, which is marked by muddy and slick conditions.
CONCLUSION
Travelers are drawn to Udzungwa Mountains National Park by its unmatched natural beauty, distinctive animals, exhilarating experiences, and chances for cultural immersion. This national park has plenty to offer everyone, regardless of their interests—nature lovers, wildlife enthusiasts, adventure seekers, or those who simply admire the beauty of the natural world.
Get in touch with Visit Tanzania tours, your trip operator, for additional information about Udzungwa Mountains National Park. You can combine a visit to Udzungwa Mountains National Park with a game drive in Mikumi National Park, Ruaha National Park, or Selous Game Reserve to witness a range of exotic creatures.
Udzungwa Mountains National Park should be on your itinerary when you plan your travels 2025 for a unique and enlightening experience. Take in all of its beauty, stroll along its paths, and make lifelong memories.
