Lushoto and the West Usambara Mountains

A Cool Climate Hill Station In The West Usambara Mountains, Part Of The Eastern Arc, With The Irente Viewpoint Over The Maasai Steppe, The Magamba Forest Reserve And Multi Day Hiking Between Villages. A Former German Colonial Retreat Known For Its Vegetables, Fruit And Cultural Tourism Programmes. · Lushoto, Tanga

Lushoto is a hill town of about 1,400 m in the West Usambara Mountains of Tanga region, cool, misty and green, with terraced farms of vegetables, plums and pears climbing the slopes. The Germans built a hill station here, called Wilhelmstal, and a few colonial houses still stand. The draw is walking: Irente Viewpoint, a cliff of about 1,500 m over the Maasai Steppe, the Magamba rainforest with chameleons and monkeys, and village trails run by a local cultural tourism programme. The honest picture: this is a gentle hiking region visited mostly by Tanzanians and a few backpackers, not a famous sight. It is a good weekend trip if you are already in Tanga, Arusha or Dar es Salaam, and a long trip only for walkers who like cool air and quiet. It is about 5-6 hours by bus from Dar es Salaam via Korogwe, then a winding climb from Mombo junction. Roads are winding and can slide in heavy rain, and nights are cold. Bring a jacket, good shoes and a day or two of slack in your plan, since cloud can hide the views for days.

Hill town at about 1,400 m in the West Usambara range of the Eastern Arc Mountains, about 5 hours by road from Dar es Salaam and 2 hours from Korogwe, with the viewpoint at Irente, Lushoto, Tanga, Tanzania

The town and its market run every day, with Monday and Saturday the busiest market days. The viewpoint and forest trails are open in daylight only. Shops and small restaurants CLOSE early in the evening, and village guesthouses expect you before dark. Confirm guide and reserve hours at the office.

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