| siting a poor country such as Tanzania it is | | | | kilometers away but on a clear day, it is possible |
| important to know the money you are spending | | | | to see this huge Mountain with its snow top, |
| is actually doing some good in the communities | | | | sitting on the border where Tanzania and Kenya |
| you will be visiting. Your visit will change a life or a | | | | meet. |
| community for the better. You do not even have | | | | When the first missionaries arrived in Mtae, at the |
| to be personally involved. Responsible tourism is | | | | end of the 19th Century, the leaders of the |
| changing lives for the better. This is, however, if | | | | Shambaa people allocated for them to sleep in an |
| you choose your operator with care and a little | | | | area, which was regarded as the "residence of |
| sensitivity. | | | | spirits of the dead" - the local people thought the |
| It is also worth the time and effort to journey to | | | | newly arrived missionaries would surly die in this |
| the less well-traveled area of Tanzania to | | | | haunted area. They did not; and so amazed |
| compliment your safari proper. The Usambara | | | | where the local elders that the missionaries were |
| Mountains are uniquely African in character and | | | | given land on which to build a church. This church |
| well worth the effort of getting there. | | | | can be visited to this day. |
| Leaving Arusha and traveling for a few hours by | | | | Mvueni Falls is high up in the mountains. It is so |
| road, passing the great Kilimanjaro and then | | | | quiet here, there is no background noise, this |
| onward across the seemingly endless arid | | | | silence has to be experienced to be believed. It is |
| landscape you arrive at Mombo. Turning left here | | | | possible to swim here although the water is very |
| the road magically transports you, in an instant, | | | | cold. The Mkuzi River feeds Mvueni falls, which is |
| onto the Usamabara Mountains. | | | | more than 2,300 meters above sea level. The |
| If you make it to this destination, bite the bullet | | | | river moves down the mountains and as it passes |
| and travel to the very top of the mountains. | | | | along the Soni falls the water cascades |
| Nested at the very top is the magic of these | | | | dramatically toward the Pangani River, dropping |
| mountains. It is essential to relax and to take time | | | | more than 800 meters over a couple of |
| to enjoy and explore the area by foot. There is | | | | kilometers. |
| an amazing bird life here and if this does not | | | | Lushoto is the capital of the Usambara Mountains |
| interest you than this is a perfect place to start | | | | and is worth spending some time exploring. There |
| an interest. | | | | is a locally run cultural tourism office on the main |
| There are many young men and women in the | | | | road and here is a good place to find a guide for |
| Usambara that have trained as guides and it is | | | | your visit. If it is market day take some time |
| well worth the very small expense to pay a few | | | | walking around the market meeting these very |
| dollars to theses enthusiastic young Tanzanian's | | | | friendly mountain people. |
| who will then share their mountains, culture and | | | | When visiting the Usambara Mountains if you are |
| time. In Africa there is always lots of time - you | | | | driving from Arusha consider taking a day to |
| must take everything slowly or you will miss the | | | | break the journey and spend this day walking on |
| magic. | | | | the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro. Marangu village is |
| In pre-colonial days, these very fertile mountains | | | | the best place to overnight among the many |
| were witness to many bloody battles between to | | | | banana and coffee trees. |
| Maasia and the resident Shambaa tribes. The | | | | Once your time is over in the Usambara |
| Shambaa people were never defeated by the | | | | Mountains just a few hours down to road is the |
| Maasia and managed to hang on to their prized | | | | tropical Pangani Bay. This will finish off your |
| green land. | | | | Tanzanian Safari beautifully. This sleepy ancient |
| Mtae is a small village on the westernmost tip of | | | | fishing village is a little known jewel sitting on |
| the Usambara Mountains. Here there is a | | | | deserted beaches and has the warm inviting |
| spectacular view point with a 1000m sheer drop | | | | waters of the Indian Ocean for diving and |
| to the savannah bellow. Mt Kilimanjaro is over 240 | | | | snorkeling. |