Type: Adventure Holiday
Duration: 10 days
Customise: This Adventure Holiday can be customized
Country: Tanzania
Persons: minimum (2)
Accommodation: Local lodge and Camping
Cultural: School visit, Potery Traditional Healer
Activities: Cycling, Cultural Tours, Historical Tours, Wildlife Viewing

Usambara Mountains are situated in the North Eastern part of Tanzania between Mount Kilimanjaro and the Indian Ocean. The mountains rise up steeply from the surrounding plains and can only be entered via a few roads. The only tortuous tarmac road in the area winds along a small river to Soni and Lushoto the largest towns in the area. Because of its pleasant climate the mountains were favored by the Germans and the English during colonial times as this is evidenced by the numerous historic buildings from the past. From a distance the mountains are a colorful mosaic. On the fertile slopes around Soni and Lushoto, farmers cultivate small plots but further away from the large town. Areas are still covered by the dense tropical forests.

The viewpoints on the Southern and Western side of the Usambara Mountains are well known for the spectacular views of the Mkomazi and Handeni plains, Kilimanjaro can be seen on the horizon, and at the end of the day the sunset turns the area into tremendous palled of unforgettable colours.Friends of Usambara Society is developing and promoting tourism in Usambaras contributing to the conservation of the area’s cultural and natural resources, we do believe that through friendly biking tours around the Usambara will stimulate the development of Tourism in the Usambara Mountains.

Our Guides
Our guides are professionally trained and certified and several have knowledge of bike maintenance. They all adopt and implement a tour guide code of conduct and ethics, speak very good English, are familiar with the area and can tell you many stories about the history and daily life of the local cultures of the peoples of the West Usambaras .

Itinerary:
Day 1: Lushoto – Lukozi- Rangwi – 42Km
Sight Scenery:
Enjoy the natural beauty of the African Rainforest as you ride up and down the dirt roads. Visit traditional villages and meet locals living their normal lives. Fees collected from tourists taking bike tours supports local communities, helping the people develop economically and graduate from extreme poverty.

Day 2: Rangwi – Mtae – 35Km Sight Scenery:
Continuing the bike tour on similar terrain, visit villages where women potters are busy making traditional pots. Eat lunch with a local family. Enjoy spectacular views over the Maasai plain, and on a clear day you can see Mt. Kilimanjaro. Dinner and overnight at Mtae local guest houses, with very clean shared facilities.

Day 3: Mtae- Lukozi- Lawns Hotel – 66Km Sight Scenery:
Good views, traditional villages, forest. In the evening visitIrente biodiversity farm.Dinner and overnight lodging at Lawns Hotel. Nature of the road: all dirt with uphills and downhills.

Day 4: Mullers Lodge- Mazumbai Forest Reserve- 35Km Sight Scienery:
Enjoy good views, traditional villages, tea plantations and coffee plantations. In the untouched MazumbaiForest you can take a short walk to see huge tree flowers, black and white Columbus monkeys and experience the biodiversity in this biodiversity hotspot. Dinner and overnight at Mazumbai Hostel. Nature of the road: all dirt with uphills and downhills.

Day 5: Mazumbai- Bumbuli- Soni –Lushoto- 65Km Sight Scenery:
Rain forest, tea and coffee plantations, traditional villages, beautiful views. You can visit Soni Waterfall and make a stopover at Soni Falls Hotel for a drink.Then continue to Lushoto for overnight. Nature of the road: Mixture of tarmac and dirt roads with up and down hills.