Uluguru Mountains

The Uluguru rise straight out of the plain behind Morogoro to over two thousand metres, and their forests are among the oldest continuous ones in Africa, part of the Eastern Arc chain that has held forest for tens of millions of years. That continuity has produced a long list of species found only here, including a chameleon, several amphibians and many plants. The main ridge rises to about 2,630 metres some 200 kilometres inland, and the east-facing slopes catch over 3,000 millimetres of rain a year. The Luguru farm the lower slopes on hand-built terraces, and walks go up from the town's edge.

The landscape

• The Eastern Arc forest - continuous forest of great age with high endemism.
• The terraced farms - hand-built Luguru terraces on the lower slopes.
• The endemic species - chameleons, frogs and plants found only in this range.
• The Morogoro view - the plain and the town from the escarpment paths.

When to go

June to October is the driest and best for walking. The rains make the steep paths slippery and the streams high. Cloud sits on the tops most afternoons.

What to expect

Forest cover has been badly reduced on the lower slopes by farming and the walk up passes through cleared land. Guides are necessary and arrangements are informal. Trails are steep and often muddy.

Nearby

Morogoro is below, and Mikumi is west.

Key facts