Mazumbai Forest Reserve

Taking a brief stop to enjoy the vista on the way from Lushoto to Mazumbai Forest Reserve

Landscape to the south of the mountains. 

After our trip to Lushoto, we headed in deeper to Mazumbai Forest Reserve. It took us somewhere between an hour and a half to two hours to reach from Lushoto. There wasn't a lot of information on the reserve, other than it was the most well preserved and privately owned by Sokoine University, though we did confirm people were allowed to visit. We heard there was no food and basic accommodation, but apart from that there was little information.

View from the lodge. 

View from the lodge in the other direction. 

An old pump-house that generated basic electricity for the property. 

Inside the kitchen. Note the old firewood school stove with oven add-on. 

The road wound through smaller and smaller villages, running along a gorge on the south end of the Western Usambaras. There was a lot of farmed land but also some steep ridges with lush forest surrounding it. Eventually the road entered the forest reserve and I exclaimed how it would be worth it to simply drive through this part of the mountains since the forest was so thick and pristine.

When we finally arrived to the lodge it was raining and we took shelter in a wood shed. The grounds were well manicured and there were no signs indicating it was available for tourists. I actually thought that perhaps we were on a private farmstead, a vestige of the colonial era. I worried that it wouldn't stop raining and we'd have to drive back to Lushoto.

Luckily, after the rain it cleared up we made our way to the back of the house and found two gentlemen who helped us sort our accommodations and food. I don't want to go into great detail about it but let's just say that the accommodation is affordable and adequate, while it is recommended the food is arranged before.

We spent the next few days walking the nearby forests. There are several guides that are much more affordable than the guides around Lushoto, and there are several clearly marked paths (and others not so clearly marked). The forest was truly among the top tier of forests I've experienced with a range from tropical rainforest to montane forest. Ferns, moss, lichen, and lianas creates a lush and rich aura that feels more like you're in the Jurassic era than Tanzania.

Although we haven't fully explored the West Usamabaras, Mazumbai Forest Reserve was certainly the gem so far.

Walking up through the forest. 

Towards the top there is montane forest. 

Ana and I pose on the trunk of a gigantic tree. Due to the density of trees and plants, we couldn't get any more of the trunk in the frame but you can deduce how large it is!