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60 km southwest from Mikumi National Park lie the Udzungwa Mountains. It’s always amazing for someone like me, who comes from Central Europe how fast vegetation changes in other parts of the world. In Mikumi you leave dry savannah area and after a two hours drive you reach Mang’ula, a wild and lush village in the middle of the rainforest. Mang’ula is the headquarter of Udzungwa Mountains National Park, an area of 1900 m², that’s a paradise for hikers and hosts healthy populations of 10 different species of primates.
 

Well away from the crowds the park offers limited trail networks, that are often muddy, steep, humid and densely overgrown. For that reason hiking can be tough in parts and should be accompanied by a guide. Don’t expect to get too close to the primates, as they are shy and not habituated to humans. The park’s most attractive sights are its waterfalls. The Sanje Falls are by far the most spectacular ones. They drop in three stages at height of 170m, 40m and at 70m from the bottom respectively and have natural pools. At the top of the first waterfall you will have a fantastic view of Kilombero Valley. Other waterfalls in the park include Prince Bernard Falls near the headquarter or Njokamoni and Mwaya along Njokamoni trail.
 

Infrastructure is rudimentary with two basic guest houses in Mang’ula, which makes the own tent possibly the best choice. Most trails are on the eastern side of the park, although development is starting in the west, where elephants, buffalos, hippos and crocodiles reportedly live. The park is best visited between June and October, when it shouldn’t rain all day long and can be reached via a potholed mud road that branches off from Morogoro-Iringa road.