3 Days 2 Nights West Usambara Mountain Hiking

3 Days 2 Nights West Usambara Mountain Hiking

The Usambara Mountains. Are home to an unspoiled tropical forest that is rare in East Africa and of great ecological interest. The valuable ecology of the Usambara is seeking increasing protection by conservation organizations and some donor countries like Norway.

The tropical forests are home to endemic bird species including the Naduk eagle owl (Bubo vosseleri), the Usambara Akalat (Sheppardia montana), Amani sunbird, green-headed oriole, southern banded snake eagle and the Usambara weaver (Ploceus nicolli).

In addition to learning about the conservation needs of this mountain range and doing some spectacular birding, there are ample opportunities for hiking with stunning viewpoints over the forested mountains.

The first European to reach Lushoto was the Missionary Johann Ludwig Krapf who in 1849 was given a warm welcome by king Kimweri I. In 1886 the German colonists entered the Usambaras and persuaded the local chiefs to sign away their domain for a pittance. The subsequent German advance was made easier because- in the latter half of the nineteenth century – Usambara was racked by chaos. The slave trade had started to invade the mountains, while at the same time the Sambaa-Kilindi-Dynasty was caught up in a civil war against the Bondei tribe who wanted independence.

After consolidating their rule, the German Colonial Government founded today’s Lushoto in 1898 as “Wilhelmsthal” (after the name of the German emperor), which became an important center of colonial settlement and plantation agriculture. Located at 1,400 m above sea level, the climate is cool and subtropical and up to independence much favored by European settlers. In 1912, the district already had 13 plantations growing vegetables, fruits, tea, coffee and a variety of other food crops.