Udzungwa Mountain National Park

Udzungwa Mountain National Park, spanning 1,990 square kilometers, is home to one of East Africa’s great forests. Bordered by the Great Ruaha River to the north and situated near Mikumi National Park and Selous Game Reserve to the north and east, Udzungwa was protected as a national forest reserve until it became a national park in 1992. It remains one of the few truly untouched and unique forested areas in the world. The park's diverse forest hosts plant species found nowhere else, from tiny African violets to towering 30-meter-high trees.

Beyond its forest, which serves as a critical water catchment and is home to numerous endemic plant and animal species, Udzungwa boasts spectacular mountain scenery, grasslands, rocks, rivers, and waterfalls. Among its most fascinating inhabitants are the Iringa red colobus monkey and the Sanje crested mangabey, two primate species discovered only in 1979. The park also provides a habitat for six other primate species, as well as elephants, buffaloes, lions, leopards, African wild dogs, and several forest bird species.

One of the park's most popular activities is walking safaris to the 170-meter Sanje River waterfalls. Udzungwa can be conveniently combined with game drives in the nearby Mikumi National Park, just an hour's drive to the north, or included in itineraries for Ruaha National Park (four to five hours' drive) and Selous Game Reserve. The park is accessible year-round, though the trails can be slippery during the wet season. The dry season, from June to October, offers the best conditions for exploring this pristine wilderness.