Day 1: Arrival day and Transfer to Lushoto
Transfer from the airport or hotel in Dar es Salaam or Arusha. Drive from where you will be picked up to Lushoto. Arrive and check in at any chosen accommodation facility, and then the guide will provide a briefing of the full program.
Day 2: Magamba rainforest
The approximate trekking distance coverage is 13 km/5-6 hours
After breakfast, get picked up at the hotel, start walking with your packed lunch through the villages uphill to the Magamba rain forest, and overnight in Rangwi Sister’s Convent. This is the day of trekking through the natural forest, home of black and white Columbus monkeys, two-horned chameleons on the way, and a nice landscape. Having lunch at Magamba village and then, after work, a little bit inside the forest, and catching the public bus to Rangwi Sister’s Convent. Accommodation is basic and neat with shared toilets.
Day 3: Mtae Viewpointand pottery workshop
Approximate trekking distance coverage is 14 km / 6-7 hrs.
Trekking through the villages to the pottery village for the workshop and along the escarpment of the mountains to Mtae—world-class (the world-class viewpoint is because you will view about 180 degrees over the Tsavo West, Kenya, and Kilimanjaro). On this day, get lunch with the Ernest family, well known for serving lunch, after which the trek proceeds to Mabughai, the pottery workshop. Visit the pottery workshop and learn how to make pots using clay soil. Keep hiking to the end through the escarpment of the Usambara Mountains while enjoying nice views of the plain. Check in at Magumba Cottages, which is one of the best accommodations in the mountains.
Day 4: Irente Viewpointand Departure
Early in the morning, drive from Mtae View Point to Irente View Point, a stunning panoramic point located in the West Usambara Mountains of Tanzania, very close to Lushoto town. It offers breathtaking views of lush green valleys, rolling hills, the Maasai plains, and even Mafia Mountain on a clear day. Then continue departing to Dar es Salaam or Tanga, or opt for more adventurous safaris in Moshi or Arusha.
