Udzungwa Mountains National Park

Udzungwa Mountains National Park, located in the southern part of Tanzania, is a stunning area with diverse habitats including tropical rainforest, mountain and miombo forest, grassland, and steppe. Within this park, you can find over 400 species of birds, thousands of plant species, and six species of monkeys, including the rare Iringa red colobus and the Sanje crested mangabey, which are exclusive to this region. In fact, Udzungwa national park boasts the second largest biodiversity of any national park in Africa, making it a fascinating destination for a Tanzania Safari.

The wildlife in Udzungwa Mountains is equally impressive. The park is home to various animals, including Abbott's duiker, Kipunji, and unique creatures like the grey-faced sengi. Elephants roam the forests along the southern escarpment, while six primate species have made Udzungwa their habitat. The Iringa red colobus and the Sanje crested mangabey are found only in this area, making them truly special. Surprisingly, the latter species remained unknown to biologists until 1979.

One of the notable inhabitants of Udzungwa is the Kihansi spray toad, which resides near a waterfall on the Kihansi River. Unfortunately, it briefly became extinct in the wild in 2009 due to habitat changes caused by an upstream dam. However, scientists successfully reintroduced them through a captive breeding program.

For bird enthusiasts, Udzungwa Mountains National Park is a paradise with over 400 bird species. It is considered one of the top three African mainland bird conservation areas. Some of the notable bird species found here include the African marabou, Crowned eagle, Ruppells vulture, and African hobby. Recent discoveries include the Francolin and Rufous-winged Sunbird. The park also hosts species like Dappled mountain-robin, Sharpe's akalat, Olive-flanked robin-chat, and White-chested alethe. In 1991, the Udzungwa forest partridge was discovered, which appears to be closely related to the hill partridges found in Asia.

The climate in Udzungwa experiences most of its rainfall between November and the wet season from March to May. However, higher elevations may have mist and light rain during the dry season months. Temperatures are cooler at higher elevations. It is advisable to visit the park during the dry season, particularly from June to October.