The mountain ranges situated in central-southern Tanzania Iringa region has Tanzania most diverse natural forest. The montane forest stretches from 250 m low altitude to 2576 m a.s.l high altitude area where the wide altitude range makes it a habitat for over 2500 different plant varieties 25 % of them being unique to the park. Udzungwa mountains are part of the arc mountains that stretches to Kenya in the north. The mountain ranges are believed to have formed over 100 million years ago as a result of repeated faulting and uplifting. Besides the spectacular lush forest, hikers embarking on the Udzungwa hiking trail have the opportunity to sight scenic waterfalls and meet local African who live in villages on its slopes. The forest is also a dwelling of over 400 avian varieties and 11 primate species, two of which are unique to the forest- Iringa red colobus and the sanje crested Mangabey. In addition, hikers in the forested trils has an opportunity to encounter over 250 butterflies species, some of which are endemic to the forest.
The hiking trail in the Udzungwa could range from a day trail to multiple days’ immersion into the alluring ranges.
Most popular trails in Udzungwa
Day trails
Sanje waterfalls trail
Sanje waterfalls trail is the most preferred day trail in the Udzungwa mountains. It takes just a half day to hike to the waterfall and descend back to the trailhead at sanje village. Sanje waterfall hike could as well be part of other trails, taking you further into the Udzungwa mountains for a multiple days’ visit. The route to the 170 m high water splash leads through some alluring lush forest and an important dwelling for the endemic colobus monkeys. Besides the monkeys, you will also sight varieties of birds and butterflies. At the waterfall, you can spend some moment swimming at the plunge pool or ascend to the top of the waterfall and relax as you enjoy the sounds of the cascade and unending view of the rainforest.
Prince Bernhards waterfall trail
Situated just 500 m from the park headquarters, prince Bernhards trail is the easiest trail in Udzungwa forest. The small water splash is set in an alluring, lush rainforest near the base of the ridges. With just an altitude gain of 80 m, the route is relatively flat and good for anyone including beginners. The falls were actually named after the prince who opened the national park when he was 85 and he chose to hike to the falls over the sanje falls for its easy hike.
Sonje waterfalls trail
This is the second shortest trail following a 3 km long track from the park headquarters and back. The hike is also in a relatively flat landscape, taking you through the sections of the rainforest to the first fall. You can opt to hike for another 15 minutes through a steeper trail to the second waterfall. Sonje waterfalls are hardly used and are great experiences for bird lovers.
Hidden valley trail
Hidden valley trail starts at campsite 3 near the park headquarter. It is the longest day trail in Udzungwa taking you through a 14 km long route in the forested slopes. The trail is also more difficult than the sanje waterfalls trail as the pathway are steeper and off the beaten paths. It takes about 8 hrs to complete the trails with each step you make coming with its own novel experiences. In this trail you will pass through a river valley with scenic waterfall, alluring sodden vegetation, wet and slippery rocks to climb, extremely dense rainforest, and giant bamboos forest. Along the trail is one of the most preferred dwelling for Udzungwa elephants and you will occasionally come across their droppings. Due to the presence of the wildlife, an armed ranger and a guide will accompany you on the hidden valley hike.
Njokamoni waterfalls trail
Njokamoni are the least hiked waterfalls in Udzungwa. This makes the 5 km long pathway the best for hikers who would like to have an up-close encounter with the elusive Sanje crested Mangebey. The primates live in troupes and hikers will occasionally come across some hanging on the woodlands lining the pathway amidst the undisturbed serenity in the extremely dense rainforest. The trail takes approximately 5 hrs to hike and descend, passing behind Hondo Hondo camp.
Multiple days trails
Mwanihana trail
Mwanihana is the second highest peak in the Udzungwa mountain range, raising to an elevation of 2400 m a.s.l. The trailhead is in the eastern slopes of the ranges with the total length of the trail being approximately 20 km. It takes 2- 3 days to summit and descend with overnight accommodation in Njia panda camp. During the trail you will passthrough the widest range of habitat zones amongst them Miombo woodlands that dominate the southern Africa region, savannah plateau, rainforest, and bamboo forest. The mwanihana peak is a picturesque bare rock and a viewpoint for the evergreen dense natural forest blanketing the Kilombero valley on the lower reaches. This trail has the option of descending through the sanje trail giving hikers an opportunity to spend some moment in the scenic waterfalls. Throughout the trek, you will occasionally sight a wide range of bird varieties living in different habitat zones in the park.
Lumeno valley trail
This is the longest and the most tough trail in Udzungwa. The trailhead is at lumeno river beyond Ifakara and follows a 65 km uphill route along the lumeno valley and to the heart of the rainforest. The trail takes about 4-5 days for the road trip hike, overnight accommodation being 3 basic budget campsites set at intervals of about 7- 8 hike hours. The trail leads you through 3 different habitat zones- miombo woodlands, grasslands and rainforest. Since you will be spending most of your time hiking along a river valley, you have the best opportunity to encounter the birds and wildlife dwelling in the highlands, explaining the need for an armed ranger escort. Such wildlife includes Iringa colobus monkey, sykes monkey , sanje Mangabey, waterbucks, elephants, bush pigs and buffaloes.
When is the best time to go hiking in Udzungwa mountains?
Undzungwa mountains are an all year round hiking destination as the hikes are not very technical and the mountain doesn’t have glaciers. The dry season between June to October and December to March is, however, better for hiking over the rainy seasons when the pathways might be slippery. Most of the trails in the mountains also follow routes along river valleys and high rainfalls cause the rivers to overflow on the banks, which might render the paths impassable. However, for the hikers who would like to experience the outstanding lush vegetation that comes with the rainy season, the month of June, just after the long rains, is the perfect time for a hiking trail in Uduzungwa. The month is cool, but with limited rainfall.
