Kitulo national Park also known as “ The garden of God” by the locals using the Swahili word “ Bustani ya Mungu,” covers an area of 412.5 square kilometers located in the highlands in the southern part of Tanzania. Kitulo national park was officially gazetted as a game park in 2005. Kitulo is one of the least visited Tanzania safari destinations.
Kitulo national park is located between the Poroto Mountains, the Kipengere mountains and the Livingstone rocky peaks. It’s approximately 2600 meters above sea level the park is majorly famous for its floral species; it is said to contain over 30 species , botanists have always referred to this park as “ Serengeti of flowers.” It’s one of the most beautiful and affordable places to visit on your Tanzania holidays.
Kitulo national park also supports about 350 vascular plant species and 45 terrestrial orchid, during rainy seasons, the park offers outstanding views of natural beauty as the flowers blossom
Kitulo national park is going to be expanded in the future to include the mount Rungwe forest, the park also boasts one of the 25 endangered primate species in the whole world, known as Kipunji in the local Tanzanian language.
During the rainy season, the volcanic soils support the growth of montane grasslands, examples of flowers inKitulo national park are; lilies, irises, aloes, proteas, giant lobelias and daisies, among many others. Kitulo national park is one of the most beautiful natural places endowed with flower spectacles in the world.
Kitulo national park does not habituate a big number of animals, but some mountainous animals like reedbucks, zebras, and elands and other things to expect are numerous butterflies, lizards, chameleons and frogs. Riding above the Kitulo plateau is Mount Mtorwi, south Tanzania’s highest peak.
Some of the activities to be done at Kitulo national park can be seen as below:
Bird watching:
Tanzania is gifted with a variety of bird species and the Kitulo national park has its portion of numerous birds, the most common being Denham’s bustard, which is not often seen in other parts of the country, cisticola, and kipengere seed eater, to mention a few.
Hiking: Tourists can engage in hiking the montane grasslands that will expose them to various flower species, butterflies, chameleons, lizards, and animals like elands and waterbucks. The whole montane grassland provides an arena of a glorious view from the top; it’s also a unique place for the photogenic lovers to take as many photos as they want.
Mountain climbing:
Tourists can take a day hike on top of Mount Rungwe and see primates like the vervet monkey and the Kipunji monkey with a long, honking bark. Columbus monkeys and animals like reedbucks and elands may also be seen at the mountain slopes. The mountain tops give more excellent views of the Kitulo national park.
Guided nature walks:
Tourists can take guided nature walks to the Livingstone forested area and come to lake Nyasa shorelines tourists can relax from here and enjoy lunch at the adorable Matema beach before getting back along the way, tourists will see a lot of wildlife and other plant species.
Swimming: Apart from getting engaged in tourist attractions, tourists can engage in swimming in the Rauaha river and get refreshed in the wilderness.
The best time to visit Kitulo national park is in the dry season of May to October but the park can also be accessed from mid-December to February.
The Kitulo national game park headquarters is found at Matamba in the Mbeya region of Tanzania; the park is n hours’ drive from Matamba. Tourists can use public transport, safari vehicles or their own private means. A railway can also be used to access the park from Dar es Salaam to Mpanda via Tabora, then catch public transport to sitalike where tourists can get game drives from special hires.
Accommodation in Kitulo National Park is available at campsites and a luxurious tented camp overlooking Lake Chada. Additionally, comfortable hotels can be found in Mpanda, along with a rest camp at Sitalike.
