ULUGURU MOUNTAINS

Overlooking the agricultural area around Morogoro, the Uluguru Mountains are part of the Eastern Arc range and are named after the Luguru people, a matrilinear group that farms on its verdant slopes. The area has some of the oldest forest in Africa, and because the ecosystem has remained undisturbed by climactic and geographical changes for an estimated 25 million years, hiking in the area is particularly rewarding. A plethora of endemic bird and insect species are found here, but permits are required to reach most of the peaks and permission must be sought in advance.