BIODIVERSITY DEFINED- UDZUNGWA

This has been my most recent adventure, and undoubtedly one that will never fade. I made a trip to the Udzungwa Mountains National Park in Mang'ula, Tanzania. I had read about it in a travel book- an overlooked, under-visited tropical rainforest in the heart of southeastern Africa... I had to go. The timing was perfect- my travel mates had decided it was a good idea to separate for a week or so to spend time alone before our transition to travel India. I wasn't partial to either decision, but made my plans with enthusiasm... that's the only way.
I decided to first stop in Mikumi, a town about 300 km from Dar es Salaam which is easily reached within a day. I planned on taking a bus to Morogoro and then grabbing, yes, the infamous daladala to Mikumi town. My reason for this stop over was big game viewing and safari- there's no way that a kid who grew up on the milk of National Geographic and the whispered voice of David Attenborough could, as an adult, visit Africa and not see its wildlife! All of my travellers had done it before, spent a lot of money, and had no interest in doing it again. I went on my own.
The daladala to Mikumi was a highlight- the road passes straight through the heart of this central National Park- and all of its delays, breakdowns, arguments, and backfires put us in the park at the perfect time... dusk. Animals were out eating, grazing, running, and staring our minibus down as we "flew" by at 30 km/hour. I saw everything I could have imagined, from the $3 seat of my broken taxi- elephants with their babies, giraffes with their heads in the trees, baboons, impala dancing in between scrub and grass, gazelle. I was the only one with my face plastered against the splintering plexiglass window- loving every sight! I had not had quite this extensive of a wildlife viewing experience since I made it to this place- the train was beautiful, but biodiverse-less compared to this! Unfortunately, I've learned that the only place to see these animals anymore is in the parks- everywhere else, they have been hunted out. Maybe that's why it's so expensive to visit game reserves and parks here... definitely a bone I'll pick in another posting!
So I arrived at Mikumi town at night- not a huge deal since it's small, quiet and I made my way straight over to a guest house. The owner's name was Mpongi- short, stout, and extremely welcoming. My room was 3,000 shillings ~ $2.50. I threw my stuff in, locked my door, and went and found some straight up Tanzanian bucket food. When i went back, I took a bucket shower... everything seems to come out of buckets here. I had a small bucket, my African fabric towel, and some soap... bathing with a bucket, a small cup, and no lights- perfectly African!
My plan was to wake up at 4:45 and hike myself down the street to a proper hotel, hoping to meet up with early riser tourists and join their Land Rover for a half-day safari. I was looking to pay about $50, which is probably the cheapest you could ever get away with paying for safari here. Just to enter the park with Kilimanjaro costs $600... yeah, that's the bone I have to pick. So getting away with $50 was my ideal. I rolled into the Genesis motel around 5:45 and started throwing out all my Swahili I could muster- most got lost in translation. It's like some foreigner showing up, saying "I look for car-safari- Mikumi. I want others... me, no. Many people, yes. Me, money big! Others, money small. You know if car-to go-today- morning-Mikumi-safari??" Ridiculous- then throw some of my half-assed sign language motions and you've got the right idea. Needless to say, I was lucky to find someone who spoke English. Unfortunately, it didn't work out like I was hoping. He called a few personal friends, since no one from the lodge was going, to see if they'd take me myself. I offered up to $80. A friend showed up alright... in a stationwagon... with no clearance... bald tires... tinted windows.... and absolutely no experience in the park- and it was raining... hard. Just for kicks, I asked if it had 4-wheel drive. It didn't... naturally. My only other option was a half-day solo ride in the hotel's Land Rover for $150. I didn't even bring that much money, and I still had 5 more days and a trip to the mountains! So I declined, went to the local market, got my fill of Uji, and jumped on the next daladala to Mang'ula.
Something happened on that daladala ride that's worth mentioning quickly... which doesn't seem possible with the length of my descriptions, but i'll try my best. I was crammed beyond belief into this minibus- but somehow I managed a seat to myself. I had my huge backpack on my lap right next to the window, anticipating a decent ride to Mang'ula 60 km away. Just when I thought we had reached true daladala carrying capacity, an old woman with her baby shuffled in and stood right next to me. Elderly respect and politeness took over and I offered my seat to the woman, without a thank you... naturally. Politeness often is the first to be squeezed out of the daladala. Anyways, I'm fine. I'm standing there, my face in about 3 different armpits- waiting for my stop. I look down and make faces with the baby, who gets a charge out of the random Mzungu (white person) that must have accidently gotten on board. I had 3 bananas for lunch that I was holding onto. So here's the perfect scenario. The baby gets restless, and the grandma has to readjust. In Africa, the closest person to a baby is automatically chosen to help whatever needs to happen- so there I am, standing, holding this baby by its armpits, and I watch my bananas fall to the ground. I give the baby back and someone in front hands me back my fruit... but only 2 remain- someone has stolen a banana, while I was holding a baby. I only laugh- appreciating the fact that the only thing stolen was an 8 cent banana.

SO- I finally arrive in Mang'ula, and I both realize why I have come and fail to understand how this African park is not overflowing with visitors. It is the most beautiful place I have seen so far on this trip- steep, green, misty tropical mountains stretching past the horizon to my left, right, and center. I walk into the office to setup my hike for the next day- I read in the book that I needed to take a guide/ranger because of the animals. I wanted to get that setup early so I could buy my camping food, find a guest house, and be well rested for my hike the following day. Once again, in Africa, things did not go as planned. There are only a few trails available in this side of the park- all require a ranger- and nothing is cheap. Park Entrance Fee- $20/24 hours. Guide Fee- $10/24 hours. Camping Fee- $30/night. Transportation to trailhead- $10. Now this through me off- especially since I wanted to do a 2-night trip into the park and summit the second highest peak, Mwanihana. This 2 night-trip, where I carry all my own stuff, buy all my own food, and sleep in my own tent in the woods- would have cost me $160. I was shocked, and completely deflated. I told them I hadn't even brought enough money! I begged, pleaded, got angry, and gave the silent treatment for about an hour. Finally- I figured out a plan which they agreed to... a 2 day, 1 night stay- leaving early in the morning so we could do a day hike from the camp in the afternoon. I still had to pay for 2 days of guiding and entrance fee, since I wouldn't be back to headquarters within 24 hours. I said, "This park is supposed to be for the land, the people- access and exposure to Africa's natural history. It should not be about the money." They looked uncomfortable. But I bargained down to $90 and showed up the next morning at 7 am.
The Udzungwa Mountains National Park is listed as a WWF World Biodiversity Hotspot. They have wood elephants, buffalo, leopards, snakes, 70 species of spider, and 3 species of monkeys endimic to these forests... I was in heaven. Within an hour, I had seen the 3 types of monkeys- running, chirping, singing and jumping from limb to limb above my head. I was captured completely- through and through- I felt these mountains in my bones, these trees in my skin. It was so rich, green- alive with more energy than I had ever witnessed. Butterflies, grasshoppers, centipedes, millipedes, spiders... things I have never believed to be of much importance- seemed royal. I stopped frequently, smiling, saying "I can't believe i'm here- i'm actually here." Our camp was nothing special- just the way I liked it. We setup camp, had some mangos for lunch, and my guide Dadi did me a huge favor, and took me half-way up to the Mwanihana trail. Guides are usually not allowed to do this- the park banks on the visitors to stay the extra night an pay the fees. But we got there early, we enjoyed each other's company, and he knew how badly I wanted to spend as much time as possible hiking these hills.
When we had climbed another few miles we reached a patch of grassland that afforded us unrestricted views of the Udzungwa Mountains- 100% pure. Rolling tropical rainforest in every direction, more shades of green than my eyes had ever seen, soft misty clouds drifting from draw to peak. Behind me, the unmistable song of hornbills pierced the moisture-ladden African air as they flew in pairs across a backdrop of grey an green. If a Garden of Eden exists, I can only imagine it looks like this. What a special place, what a treasure on this earth.
I will return, I know of it- Nitarudi apa, ninajua. I can only imagine what other places these feet of mine will travel now that I know places like Udzungwa still exist.