Amani Nature Reserve

Amani was a German botanical research station founded in 1902, at the time one of the largest such gardens in the tropics, and the forest around it became a nature reserve in 1997. The East Usambaras are part of the Eastern Arc and carry an extraordinary concentration of species found nowhere else: the Usambara eagle-owl, the long-billed tailorbird, three-horned chameleons, African violets in their wild form, and hundreds of endemic plants. Trails run from the old station buildings.

What you actually see

• The botanical garden - the remains of the 1902 research station and its introduced trees.
• The endemic birds - Usambara eagle-owl, tailorbirds and other Eastern Arc specialities.
• The wild African violets - saintpaulias growing in their native forest habitat.
• The forest trails - marked walks through closed canopy from the station.

When to go

June to October is the driest and best for walking. The rains make the road up very difficult. Mornings are best for birds before the cloud comes in.

Honest expectations

The road up from the highway is rough and often needs four-wheel drive. Accommodation is basic rest-house standard. Many of the special species are hard to find without a specialist guide.

Nearby

Muheza is below, and Tanga is northeast.