Kitulo Plateau hiking
Mbeya Highlands, Tanzania
About
Trek the montane grasslands of the 'Garden of God', carpeted with orchids and wildflowers in the wet season and rich in birdlife.
National park with hiking trails known for its rare birds & flora, including orchids & wildflowers.
Where it is
Getting to & around Mbeya Highlands
From other cities: Songwe Airport (MBI), about 20 km from Mbeya, receives scheduled domestic flights from Dar es Salaam; the TAZARA Railway and long-distance buses along the Tanzam Highway also connect Mbeya to Dar and to the southern borders.
Getting around: Around town and the highlands, use taxis, bajaji, boda-boda motorbikes and daladala minibuses; reaching Kitulo, Ngozi and Lake Nyasa usually requires a hired 4x4, especially in the wet season.
Full getting-there guideMore in Mbeya Highlands
National Park
Kitulo National Park
The flower-carpeted 'Garden of God' plateau, the first national park in tropical Africa protected mainly for its flora.
Lake
Lake Ngozi (Ngosi)
A stunning crater lake near Tukuyu, the second-largest in Africa, set within a forested caldera rich in birds and monkeys.
Mountain Peak
Mount Rungwe
A dormant volcano and forest reserve near Tukuyu, home to the endemic kipunji monkey and rewarding hikes.
Hotel
Matema Beach (Lake Nyasa)
A tranquil beach on the northern shore of Lake Nyasa, backed by mountains, with fishing villages and pottery markets.