Tourist Places to Visit in Lushoto, Tanzania, East Africa, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Lushoto, Tanzania, East Africa, Africa

Lushoto is one of the districts and towns belonging to the Tanga Region of Tanzania, covering a total area of 4,091.62 sq. km. It is a border district, bounded by the Muheza District to the east, Korogwe District towards the south, Kilimanjaro Region towards the northwest and Kenya to the northeast. Lushoto is geographically positioned at 4°47′55″ S latitude and 38°17′25″ E longitude, around 270 km southeast of the city of Arusha and 370 km northwest of the country’s largest city, Dar es Salaam. West Usambaras Lushoto Mountain Reserve comes within the limit of Lushoto and is mainly famous among hikers and mountain climbers.

History of Lushoto:

Lushoto was earlier called Wilhelmstal during the German rule in Tanzania from the 1890s to 1918 and the name had come from the last German Emperor Wilhelm II. The real developments began in the district during the German rule and later it fell under the British rule along with the rest of Tanzania following the World War I and remained until the country’s independence on 9 December 1961.

How to reach Lushoto?

Tanga Airport is the closest major airport to Lushoto, situated around 100 km southeast of Lushoto. It operates flights from/to Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Pemba and Zanzibar.

Lushoto is reachable by direct bus services from Dar es Salaam but buses’ number is less, so it is advised visitors to board bus to Moshi or Arusha at Dar es Salaam Bus Station after getting down from the flight and then visitors have to reach Mombo, where direct buses available to Lushoto on regular intervals.

Food and Shopping in Lushoto:

Tumaini Restaurant is one of the famous food corners in Lushoto, serving visitors with both western and local food. There are also many standard shops in Lushoto.

Things to do in Lushoto:

Mountain climbing
Hiking
Day tours

What to see in Lushoto?

Usambara Mountains:

The Usambara Mountains is one of the highlights of Lushoto district, located in the West Usambaras Lushoto Mountain Reserve. This scenic mountain range measures a length of 70 miles, while width ranges from 20 to 40 miles. The mountain reaches up to a height of 2,440 meters and is frequently visited climbers and hikers from all around Africa.

Amani Nature Reserve:

The Amani Nature Reserve was founded with the purpose of conserving dense and distinct flora and fauna of the East Usambara Mountains in the year 1997. Covering an area of 8,380 hectors, the reserve is also home to many spectacular waterfalls that can be explored best through a guided tour.

Mazumbai University Forest:

The Mazumbai University Forest is known as the East Usambaras’s last pristine forest. The forest is also the site of many substantial researches on ecology and natural history.

Mkomazi National Park:

Situated to the north of Lushoto, established in 2006, the Mkomazi National Park in Tanzania continues with the Tsavo West National Park in Kenya. Tanzanian part covers an area of 3,200 km², housing dense flora and a wide range of bird and animal species.

Other places of interest near Lushoto include:

Irente Biodiversity Reserve
Soni Falls
Ngorongoro Crater
Arusha National Park
Tarangire National Park
Lake Manyara National Park
Cultural Heritage Centre Arusha
Meserani Snake Park
Kilimanjaro Golf
The National Natural History Museum
Mount Kilimanjaro
Lake Manyara
Bishop’s Cathedral of Arusha
Arusha Clock Tower

When to visit Lushoto?

The best time to visit Lushoto depends on visitors’ interest, though the most preferred time to travel Lushoto is from June to October.

Where to stay in Lushoto?

There are several nice hotels, camping sites, lodges and guest houses in Lushoto that are also famous for arranging day tour for their guests with a well informative guide. The prominent hotels in and around Lushoto are as follows: