Udzungwa Mountains National Park was established in 1992 and officially opened by the former President and founder of WWF (World Wildlife Fund for Nature) Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. The word “Udzungwa” comes from the word “Wadsungwa” referring to one of the native sub tribes of the “Hehe” people who once lived on the slopes of the mountains.
The park covers an area of 1990 km 2 where geographically, 20% of the total area lies in Morogoro region while the remaining 80% being in the southern highland region of Iringa.Park headquarters are found in Mang’ula village, about 65 km south of Mikumi along Mikumi – Ifakara road off the Dar Es Salaam – Mbeya highway. It is 380 km from Dar Es Salaam.
Udzungwa Mountains National Park has the most biodiversity and 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 as the African Galapagos for its treasure-trove of endemic plants and animals, most familiarly being the delicate African violet.
Being Part of theEastern Arc Mountains, Udzungwa National Park is home for fascinating diversity of life.It is famous for its high concentration of endemic species of animals and plants is an important biodiversity hotspot on earth.The park has a variety of landforms including rolling hills, mountains, valleys, and waterfalls that makes the park outstanding scenic.Park headquarters are found in Mang’ula village, about 65 km south of Mikumi along Mikumi – Ifakara road off the Dar Es Salaam Mbeya highway. It is 380 km from Dar Es Salaam.
Nature Lovers can explore mountain forests for a number of rare, endemic and endangered species of flora and fauna including endemic species of sange mangabey ,Iringa red colobus and endemic Udzungwa Forest Partridge and Rufous winged sunbird.The park offers a number of spectacular waterfalls including the biggest waterfall in National park system in Tanzania, The Sanje waterfall with 170.The park covers an area of 1990 km 2 where geographically, 20% of the total area lies in Morogoro region while the remaining 80% being in the southern highland region of Iringa.
Transport: It is accessible by road network from Dar es Salaam (380 km) as well as Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Mbeya. By Air it is served by two airstrips Msolwa and Kilombero which can be used by tourists through air transport before they connect using hired vehicles to the park’s main gate.
The park comprises of lots of attraction and activities including Bird watching , mountain climbing, also the presence of different different species of Reptiles and Amphibians with the endemic Udzungwa lizards (Cnemaspis Udzungwae) and Phrynobatrachus Udzungwensis together with endemic chameleon (Bearded pygmy chameleon).
