The best time to visit Udzungwa Mountains National Park : In order to have the most amazing adventure experience during your visit, it’s a great idea to know the Best Time to Visit Udzungwa Mountains National Park. The best time to visit the park will depend on its climate, as weather patterns in adventure areas typically influence the kind of adventure you will have on your Tanzania safari.
The dry season and the wet season are the two distinct climate seasons experienced by Udzungwa Mountains National Park, just like by all other national parks in Tanzania. Because to the park’s hilly terrain, tropical climate, and dense forest, the majority of the park’s yearly rainfall falls between March and May, the longest wet season, and November and February, the shortest day.
The year-round nice weather is caused by the high altitude mountain ranges and its proximity to the Indian subcontinent, with the highest temperatures falling between October and March and the lowest between May and July. During the rainy season, the humidity produced by the ocean makes it easier for rainstorms to occur, which makes the park difficult to walk and extremely slick for hiking.
However, the park receives very little rain between June and October, and what little does fall tends to fall in the park’s higher altitude areas on the side of its highest plateau peak, making the area dry and pleasant for trekking with cooler temperatures. Additionally, camping is allowed during this time, and monkeys and other animals are often found nearby, making this the best time to visit Udzungwa National Park for an amazing and unique adventure safari. Every season offers a unique experience in the park, such as the numerous beautiful butterflies that flourish there most of the time during the rainy season. Make sure to visit the park whenever you can.
How to get to Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Generally speaking, people ask how to get to Udzungwa Mountains National Park. However, since the park is situated in the village of Mang’ula, close to the train routes that connect Dar es Salaam to Zambia, and because the park is easily accessible thanks to connecting highway roads, there is no need to worry about how to get there as there are several ways to get there, including by car, plane, and train.
Udzungwa Mountains National Park is located approximately 360 kilometres, almost due west of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The park can be accessed by road, which is the most convenient and modest method because it is forested and does not have a landing site. It is adjacent to Mikumi National Park and is accessible by car. Travel for four to five hours on the Morogoro Road to Mikumi Town. From there, continue through Kilombero and cross the formidable Ruaha River to reach Sanje Village.
Driving via the recently constructed highway to the Selous Game Reserve from Dar es Salaam to Udzungwa National Park—which connects to Mikumi National Park—and back to Dar es Salaam is an additional route to reach the location.
Advanced travellers who prefer air travel can connect to Udzungwa National Park via daily charter flights from Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, which depart every afternoon. These flights also connect Udzungwa National Park to the other Tanzania safari destinations in Tanzania’s southern region. Another option for travel is to use Air Link, which offers daily scheduled flights to the Mikumi National Park Airstrip. From there, you can take an overland drive to the park’s valley.
Another way to go to the park is by train. The train travels from Dar es Salaam to Zambia via the settlement of Mang’ula, where the park is located. However, this route is lengthy and requires a lot of flexibility, so it is not highly recommended.
Tourist activities in Udzungwa Mountains National Park
There are many different tourist activities in the Udzungwa Mountains National area, which is the ultimate with amazing experiences that are available in this area. The park has no roads linking it, only adventurous wilderness interspersed with densely forested mountains and gorgeous vistas. Engaging in any of these activities is highly recommended for those who enjoy hiking, trekking, and bird watching. It will provide unforgettable memories of your time spent exploring the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. Among them are:
Tourist Activities in Udzungwa Mountains National Park
Hiking
Hiking is a popular form of tourism in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. With its superb network of well-established woodland routes, the National Park is a veritable hiking haven for outdoor enthusiasts. The well-liked half-day trip to the Sanje waterfall is one of these hiking safaris; it typically takes hikers two to four hours, and they pass through a magnificent tropical and montane rainforest that is strewn across hills, valleys, and slopes. The plunge pools beneath these majestic waterfalls, which offer opportunities for refreshing swimming after a strenuous trek, are one of the hike’s highlights.
On the other hand, the most dedicated hikers can also take on the more difficult and physically demanding two-night Mwanihana trail, which leads to the high plateau of Udzungwa National Park named Luhomero. Here, they can take in the expansive views of the surrounding sugar plantations before climbing to Mwanihana peak, the second-highest point in the mountain range. Along the way, hikers can expect to see some of the park’s endemic species, including the renowned African violet. They can also expect to encounter mammals like elephants, buffaloes, hunting dogs, leopards, monkeys, and many other species of birds.
Primate trekking
Primate trekking is a popular activity for tourists in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park. It is a remarkably unique and extraordinary experience that allows you to interact with a variety of primate species, including the critically endangered Iringa Red Colobus Monkey and the Sanje Crested Mangabey, which are only found in this park. Other primates that are commonly spotted include the less common Matunda Galago Red Colobus, along with the black and white Angola colobus monkeys, blue and vervet monkeys, and yellow baboons. Spend time in this pristine tropical rainforest and experience an unforgettable journey with these rare and endangered monkeys.
Bird watching
There are at least 400 documented bird species in the Udzungwa Mountains, 25 of which are indigenous to the park and the Eastern Arc Mountains, making it a rich and unspoiled destination for avian enthusiasts. See the four unique bird species of Udzungwa in addition to a wide variety of common birds that may be seen at other bird watching locations.
Camping
In addition to allowing you to experience the unadulterated beauty of nature, camping in the Udzungwa Mountains National Park will allow you to fully explore all of its treasures, particularly its wide variety of endemic species and breathtaking vistas, which will allow you to take advantage of the park’s most amazing Tanzania safari.
