Discover the Floral Wonders of Kitulo National Park
Kitulo National Park is the first park in tropical Africa to be gazetted largely for its floral significance not only a multitude of orchids, but also the stunning yellow-orange red-hot poker and a variety of aloes, proteas, geraniums, giant lobelias, lilies and aster daisies, of which more than 30 species are endemic to southern Tanzania. Kitulo is indeed a rare botanical marvel, home to wildflowers for six months of the year, from November to April. There is a documented 350 species of wild flowers including lilies and fields of daisies. 45 endemic orchid species are found only in the park than any other part of the world. From June to August, the entire park is foggy with no visibility during the daytime, and it is hardly possible to view its beauties and the abundance of plants in the wet season has been described as the greatest flora marvel of the World. Beautiful scenery of the land below makes the park an ideal place to pay a visit. This unique scenery brings it closer to northern Tanzania nature parks of Ngorongoro, Serengeti and Kilimanjaro.
Before its transformation into a tourist park, the area was a livestock ranch set for breeding Merino sheep from Australia and European cattle breeds. British officers mapped the area in 1920 for ranching purposes. Because of its cool and moderate weather similar to Mediterranean or European conditions, the area has since then attracted a number of British and American settlers who reared livestock and practiced small scale tourist projects.
Locals refer to the Kitulo Plateau as Bustani ya Mungu – The Garden of God – whereas botanists have named it the Serengeti of Flowers, host to ‘one of the great floral spectacles of the world’, and only of its kind in Africa where wild flowers, birds and harmonious grass eating mammals are dominating. Perched at around 2,600 metres (8,500 ft) between the rugged peaks of the Kipengere, Poroto and Livingstone Mountains, the well-watered volcanic soils of Kitulo support the largest and the most important montane grassland community in Tanzania.
Big game is sparsely represented, though a few hardy mountain reed buck still roam the open grassland. But Kitulo a botanist and hiker’s paradise, is also highly alluring to birdwatchers. Tanzania’s only population of the rare Denham’s bustard is resident, alongside a breeding colony of the endangered blue swallow and such range-restricted species as mountain marsh widow, Njombe cisticola and Kipengere seedeater. Endemic species of butterfly, chameleon, lizard and frog further enhance the biological wealth of God’s Garden.
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.
Activities that can be done at this beautiful park are walking safaris through the grasslands watching birds and enjoying wild flowers. Those wishing to hike can go hill walking to different waterfalls in the Park including one that is 100 meters high or hike further still on the neighboring ranges during the day giving fantastic views of Lake Nyasa and its beautiful Matema Beach below the mountains.
Within the National Park are other forests which are homes different species of mammals and these include;
Livingstone Forest
The Livingstone forest is a montane evergreen forest that descends the southwestward-facing slope of the park. It is the largest block of forest in the park, and the largest in the Kipengere Range. Thickets of bamboo can be found between the upper montane forests and the high altitude grasslands. The Livingstone Forest lies in the former Livingstone Forest Reserve (240.34 km²), which was incorporated into the national park when it was created in 2005. The Bujingijila Gap, a narrow corridor of farms and tree plantations, separates the Livingstone Forest from the Mount Rungwe forests. The Livingstone Forest is home to three limited-range species of mammals – the endangered Kipunji and Abbott’s duiker.
In 2005, field scientists from the WCS discovered a new species of primate on and around Mount Rungwe and in the Livingstone Forest area of the park. Initially known as the Highland Mangabey, later changed to its Tanzanian name of Kipunji, it is one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world.
Ndumbi Forest
The Ndumbi forest, at the eastern end of Kitulo National Park, includes montane evergreen forest and forests of East African Cedar. The former Ndumbi Valley Forest Reserve (27.71 km²) was established in 1956, and was incorporated into the national park when it was created in 2005. The Ndumbi forest is also home to a 100-meter waterfall.
Getting there.
By Air
Regular scheduled flights fly to Mbeya from where ground transport has to be arranged to Kitulo.
By Road
Take the Dar es Salaam to Mbeya road to Chimala town. Chimala is 78 km from Mbeya and 750 km Dar es Salaam. At Chimala, take a graveled road to Matamba. The road climbs up through 57 hair-pin-coners on a spectacular rough road known as ‘Hamsini na Saba’ or fifty Seven. The park Gate is at Matamba where there is a public campsite. From Matamba to the Park itself is about 11 km. Accessibility is also possible via Isyonje on the Mbeya-Tukuyu.
When to visit
The flower season is during the wet months of December to April. From May to August the mountains and plains are often shrouded in mist and cloud reducing visibility. These lift towards the end of the dry period of between September to November. At this time of the year, the air is brilliantly clear and the mountains and valleys are bathed in sunshine.
Accommodation
There are campsites at the Park head qarter in Matamba and Chimala but for a more comfortable stay, Mbeya town is an option.