kitulo national park in Tanzania
Kitulo National Park is is home to over 400 varieties of species that includes 45 varieties of terrestrial orchid – forming a wildflower display during the rainy season. There are two popular mountains Poroto and Livingstone Mountains that cover an area of 412.9km2 and its well-watered volcanic soils support the largest montane grassland In Tanzania.
Nicknamed, Serengeti of Flowers, Kitulo National Park is the first National Park in the tropical Africa to be established primarily for its floristic importance.
These park covers 413 kilometers squares of forest-land, dominated with plants and few wild animals which together form a natural habitat that is tourist attractive by itself. The park’s scenery is as comparable to the Biblical Garden of Eden, as most visitors there say.
There are about 400 plant species, most of them are wild flowers and other such attractive, natural plants, which no doubt at all, will attract visitors to go there. Recorded 45 endemic orchid species are found only in the park than any other part of the world.
Added to its natural attractions and uniqueness, Kitulo Plateau is the natural resting site for intercontinental migrating birds during periods of the year on their way to Europe.
It is only in this park where migrating Storks rest while flying from Cape Town in South Africa to Northern Europe.
European White Storks and other species of Storks from Scandinavian countries via West Africa migrate to brood inside Kitulo Plateau on their way, flying across the European and African continents every year. These big, attractive birds stop in this park for some months and later continue with their long journey across the continent.
These Park is the only natural habitat area in Africa perched on the sky at a higher altitude than any known park in the continent.
It is located 3,000 meters above sea level on the East African massif, much influenced by the eastern Rim of the Great Rift Valley which stretches from the Red Sea in Middle East across north and East Africa to Mozambique in Southern Africa.
best time to visit Kitulo National Park
The best time to visit the Park is during the months of November to April, when the wild flowers do blossom to very beautiful flowers that shall leave you amazed at the sheer magnitude of beauty. Wild flowers in Kitulo National Park blossom between the months of December and April, and thus the summer months of September to November are the best time to visit Kitulo National Park. The months of June to August have the park entirely foggy with barely any visibility during the daytime.
how to get to kitulo?
Getting to the Park entails one driving from Chimala town along the Dar es Salaam to Mbeya highway, then climb the very scenic plateau through the spectacular rough road known as Hamsini na Saba, or 57 by pin. After a while of driving, you reach Matamba, the temporary park headquarters which are about 50km south of Chimala. Use of a 4×4 wheel drive vehicle is highly recommended.
Where to stay in kitulo national park?
Now that you are in the park, or intending to visit Kitulo, you are definitely considering where to stay while in Kitulo , accommodation are basically just outside the park, in neighboring towns to the park say Mbeya Forest Hill Motel , Mbeya Paradise Inn, among others.
Kitulo National Park is a great scenic and serene wilderness park, not for wild animals but particularly wildflowers, which travellers can visit for amazing Tanzania safari experiences apart from the usual wild game parks of Tanzania like the Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Ruaha National Park, Selous Game Reserve, among so many others, Kitulo National Park would be a great add on to the wild game safari destinations in Tanzania. Consider including it in your Tanzania safari itinerary. Liaise with your preferred tour operator to help you plan out an amazing Tanzania safari tour including a visit to the Park for amazing experiences away from or in in addition to the usual wild game national parks of Tanzania.
What activities are there to do in kitulo national park?
Some of the activities in Kitulo National Park that travellers can engage in while on a Tanzania safari visiting the park include;
Hiking.
There are amazing hiking trails in the Park that travellers can take to enjoy some of the most amazing scenic sites and areas in the park, seeing even those littlest wonders in Kitulo National Park that may be missed.
Open walking.
Open walking is one of the various activities in the Park that travellers who visit on Tanzania safaris in the park can do. Open walking has travellers walking across the grasslands to watch birds and wildflowers in Kitulo National Park.
Hill climbing.
The neighbouring mountains and which the park is perched in between offer mazing hill climbing experiences, and what mazing views they are rewarded with! A half day hike from Kitulo National Park across the Livingstone Mountains takes you to the spectacular Matema Beach on Lake Nyasa.
Top Highlights
- Nicknamed, Serengeti of Flowers,
- There are about 400 plant species, most of them are wild flowers
- It is located 3,000 meters above sea level
- Kitulo Plateau is the natural resting site for intercontinental migrating birds during periods of the year on their way to Europe.
