Iringa town walks II

 

Looking north

I recently wrote about a beautiful area right behind our house, a convenient and worthwhile trip whenever we are in Iringa town. This time of year is perfect for walks with cloud cover appreciated especially with the area situated at 1700m (5,570 ft). The rainy season also means the grasses and trees are full of green and the lush landscape provides a pretty backdrop.

Even though there was sufficient cloud cover and the weather was cool, the plateau is extremely exposed so we started our trek early. After the initial climb the majority of the walk was rather flat winding through grasslands and rocky outcrops. We occasionally had some peeks of Iringa town but otherwise the views were of the surrounding granite studded hillsides. 

When we reached the northern side of our destination the views were incredible! The trek down was rather moderate and we were lucky enough to pop out in town right next to where a public transport route begins making it an easy trip back to our place. It was a long walk, about 2 1/2 hours, and we were feeling tired for sure. It's a beautiful trek but the elevation not only wears you out quicker because of less oxygen but the effects of the sun's powerful UV rays are amplified as well. One must be relatively fit but also prepared with a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water!

Grasslands

Valley to the east and north