The Usambara Mountains

The Usambaras are part of the Eastern Arc, a chain of ancient crystalline mountains that have held forest continuously for millions of years and are consequently packed with species found nowhere else, which is why biologists sometimes call them the Galápagos of Africa. The African violet was first collected here. For visitors the appeal is simpler: cool air after the coastal heat, steep green ridges of terraced smallholdings, and a network of footpaths connecting villages, walked with community guides who arrange homestays along the way. Irente viewpoint drops away more than a thousand metres to the Maasai plain below, and Lushoto, a German colonial-era hill station, is the base for almost everything.

What you actually see

• Irente viewpoint - a sheer drop from the escarpment to the plains far below.
• Village-to-village walks - multi-day footpath routes with community guides and homestays.
• Magamba forest reserve - remnant montane forest with endemic birds and chameleons.
• Lushoto market - the highland produce market, busiest on market days.

When to go

The drier windows, June to October and December to February, make the paths easier. It is genuinely cool here, especially at night, which surprises people arriving from the coast. Rain turns the red tracks to grease.

Honest expectations

This is walking country, and the walking is steep, on paths rather than trails, often for several hours between villages. Guides are arranged locally and quality varies, so use an established cultural tourism programme. Accommodation is simple. Public transport up from Mombo is a crowded minibus on a switchback road that some people find alarming.

Nearby

Tanga and the coast lie east; Arusha and the northern circuit are to the northwest.