Uluguru Mountains

The Ulugurus lie 200 km inland from the Indian Ocean. They are part of a chain of mountains in eastern Africa collectively called the Eastern Arc Mountains, which include the Taita Hills, Pare Mountains, Usambara Mountains, Nguru Mountains, Rubeho, Ukaguru, Udzungwa Mountains and Mahenge Mountains. The forests of the mountains provide the water catchment areas for the streams and rivers. This water flows mainly from the forest-capped peaks of the Ulugurus into streams joining to form the Ruvu River.

Biodiversity: The vegetation of the Uluguru main ridge and outlying blocks is extremely variable. It ranges from drier lowland coastal forest habitats, to transitional rainforests, to sub-montane, montane and upper montane forest types.

Unique to the Ulugurus are over 100 plants, 2 birds, 2 mammals, 4 reptiles and 6 amphibians unknown elsewhere in the world. There are also a large number of additional species shared only with one or two other Eastern Arc mountains, and hence globally rare. Endemic species include African violets, Impatiens and Begonias which are popular pot-plants in the rest of the world.

Tourism: The mountains attracts many tourists to the area, particularly due to the mountains' proximity to the former capital and economic center of Tanzania, the city of Dar es Salaam (180km away). A visit to the "Morning side"which is an old german hut at 1000m is one of the famous shot day hike, a visit to Choma waterfalls, bondwe and lupanga peaks, cultural tour to the waluguru tribe, farmlands and many more