1 Day Hiking Usambara Mountain

The Usambara Mountains are 2000m tall ridges located in the north east of Tanzania about 6 hours from Daressalaam. In the 19th century, German colonists brought crops such as coffee and tea and built many churches in the area. They brought the concept of separating the forest and villages which was assimilated by the locals. The biggest settlement within this area is Lushoto town. It is a busy trading center and offers many street markets where locals are trading their products. Lushoto is also the starting point for hikes to the mountains. There are several viewpoints along the ridges that can be reached by hiking along many small trails that lead through farms, tea and coffee plantations, forests and hills. A famous viewpoint is the Irente Viewpoint in the west of Lushoto. It is a great place to see the sunset. Another viewpoint on the mountain is the Mambo Viewpoint, named after the nearby village. Here you can enjoy breathtaking views of the valley beneath. On a clear day Mt. Kilimanjaro can be seen at a distance. The most famous creatures are the Usambara chameleons. Additionally, there are plenty of bird species, monkeys and butterflies. In the south of Lushoto you can visit the beautiful Kisasa waterfalls. In the center of the Usambara mountains you can also visit the Mkuzi waterfalls. All this combined makes it a very beautiful, versatile and tranquil hiking area worth a visit.