Kitulo Plateau National Park

Best Time to Visit

Dry Season (June to October)

Best For

The “Serengeti of Flowers”

Area

413 km2

Kitulo Plateau National Park is located on the Kitulo Plateau in the remote southwest corner of Tanzania on the Zambian outskirt. The park is arranged between the tough pinnacles of the Kipengere, Poroto, and the Livingstone Mountains at 2,600 meters above ocean level. This very much watered volcanic soil of the plateau underpins one of the best floral scenes of the world including some indigenous types of orchids, aloes, lilies, irises, proteas, goliath lobelias and daisies among numerous others .

Kitulo Plateau National Park is the only national park in Africa which is gazetted for its flower species. Kitulo is a botanist’s fantasy with more than 350 types of vascular plants including 45 earthly orchids. Local people allude to “BustaniyaMungu” which signifies “The garden of God” in Swahili.

Kitulo does not have an extensive number of enormous animals but rather some uneven animals, for example, reedbucks, zebras and elands can be found wandering crosswise over fields of the park. In any case, the meager natural life in the park is made up by the hypnotizing plants, delightful birds and beautiful butterflies.

Kitulo is a paradise for bird lover with a rich birdlife including the uncommon Denham’s bustard, which is only found in Kitulo in Tanzania. Threatened blue swallows, Kipengere, mountain swamp widow, and different bumpy bird species can be located in plenty in the park.

Best Time to Visit

Wet Season (November to April): Best time for wildflower blooms, especially orchids. The entire plateau becomes a sea of color.
Dry Season (May to October): Perfect for hiking, with clear skies and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.

Activities To Do

At Arusha National park you can do an array of activities, listed below are some of them:

Walking safaris
Game drive
Canoeing
Trekking safari
Cultural village tour

What to See

1. The “Serengeti of Flowers”

Kitulo is home to one of the most diverse floral displays in Africa. During the wet season (November to April), the grasslands explode with a riot of colors as orchids, lilies, irises, and daisies bloom across the plateau.

2. A Hiker’s Paradise

Unlike most Tanzanian parks, Kitulo is best explored on foot. It offers stunning hiking trails that take you through lush grasslands, rocky ridges, and breathtaking mountain viewpoints.

3. Rare & Endemic Plant Species

Kitulo’s orchids are world-famous, with many species found nowhere else in the world.
Other rare plants include the giant lobelia and balsams.

4. Unique Wildlife & Bird Species

Although Kitulo is not a big-game safari destination, it is home to:

Rare primates like the kipunji monkey, found only in the Southern Highlands.
Birds such as the Denham’s bustard, mountain marsh widow, and blue swallow.
Endangered butterfly species found only in this region.

How To Get There

Safari Van:

You can reach Kitulo from Mbeya, which is 550 Km, or you can reach it from Kigoma, which is 390 km from Kitluo.

Flight:

You can take charter to reach Kitulo from Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar Es Salaam.

Tours

Tanzania Tour Packages

Tanzania is a definitive dream safari goal and as of late nominated as the “Best Safari Country in Africa”. With a huge range of encounters coupled together with the nation’s devotion to safeguarding, you can be guaranteed a stunning occasion that will remain with you for eternity.