MOUNT HANANG NATURE FOREST RESERVE
overview
This nature forest reserve is found in the best developed of Tanzania’s tourism route known “The Northern Circuit” which includes many of the country’s most famous national parks; Arusha, Tarangire, Lake Manyara and Serengeti as well as famous landmarks such as the Ngorongoro Crater, the Olduvai Gorge and Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro.
Mount Hanang Nature Forest Reserve is situated right close to the East African Great Rift Valley in Hanang District, Manyara region. This mountain is the fourth highest mountain in Tanzania with elevation of 3,423m above sea level. It extends over 5,836.5 ha with six vegetation types and five important rivers, along with seasonal streams, supply water from the reserve to Hanang District.
The average annual temperature is 27.20 C and it goes down as low as 140 C during the cold season. This reserve can be visited all throughout the year but the best time to visit is from early May to March.
LOCATION
Mount Hanang’ Nature Forest Reserve is easily accessible by self-driving from Arusha (240km) and from Tarangire (140km) (all weather road, Arusha-Mwanza Road), fly-in from the major cities. Luxury and semi luxury public transportation is also available until Hanang (Katesh) bus station 4km from reserve’s main gate.
ACCOMODATION
There are two types of accommodation aimed at catering for both budget travelers and luxurious ones. They range from public campsite to lodges (best found in Babati 68km from Katesh town) all equipped with enough facilities to make your stay feel enjoyable.
BIODIVERSITY
The reserve has six vegetation types; dense forest, open forest, woodland, bushland, grassland and heathland. It is comparatively rich in different species of animals and plants. The reserve has varieties of tree species which are threatened like Juniperus excelsa, Fagaropsis angolensis, Podocarpus angolensis, Ekebergia capensis, Teclea hanangensis and Cyanoglossum hanangensis (endemic plant ). The animals present are Mt. Hanang mole rat (Fukayomys hanangensis, endemic ), klipspringer, velvet monkeys, bush babies, rock hyrax, bush pigs, olive baboons, spotted hyena, leopards and a variety of birds Colius striatus (Spackled mousebird), Apus affinis (Little swift), Turaco hartlaubi (Hartlaub’s turaco), and Bradypterus cinnamomeus (Cinnamon bracken warbler)), snakes and insects.
Our Team
Irene Emmanuel
Proffessional Safari Expert
Salva George
Marketing & Technical Support Officer
ENDEMISM
The Mount Hanang’ comprises of few East African endemic fauna species including endemic species to the area, while most of the found butterflies and birds were common. The revealed endemic fauna was a type of bird called Turraco hartlaubi (Hartlaubas turraco), and Bradypterus cinnamomeus (Cinnamon branken warbler) while mammal represented by Mount Hanang’ More Rat (Fukayoms hanangensis)
activities
Here at Mount Hanang’ is the best place one can hike. The area offers long and short hikes ranging from 3 hours to 8 hours a day through the forest, woodland, grassland and waterfalls depending on the fitness of the visitors. One can be able to see endemic flora and fauna beautiful landscapes of the mountain and the surrounding ,viewpoints, waterfalls and culture features/places. Weather is cool inside the forest and bit hot in the grassland especially during dry season that is September to November. We have tour guide who are well informed and can explain about the local environment items of culture and nature feature.
Hiking Trail
Jorodom Trails is the rout of 8.5 km from the gate to the peak and it takes 5 to 8 hours to summit depending on the fitness of the visitor. It is an ideal rout for hiking. The rout is blessed with beautiful and colourful wild flower, dense forest, reptiles and small mammals like Dik-dik especially during the sunrise and sunset. From this rout, sunrise and sunset, beautiful scene of Great Rift Valley and other areas activities outside the reserve can be seen clearly.
Himit River Trails (Forest Trail) is 9km from the gate to the peak via Himit river and is 80% covered by dense forest with tough the Himit River where more tha 80% covered by dense forest with tough terrines.This rout is rich in birds,reptiles and forest animals there fore is an ideal route for birds watching,walking safaris and forest hiking.There are nice place for picnicking and camping and one can enjoy beautiful waterfalls and dense-forest along this route.
Barjomot Route is one of the clipped routs of about 6km from the gate but it’s the rugged rout to the summit. Its across also though dense moist natural elevation forest.Via this route one can enjoy bird watching and walking safari. It is a good route also for night walking as many nocturnal animals,birds and insects can be seen such as pigs,bush babies and birds.This Route is also favored with beautiful and colourful butterflies and wildflowers.
This involves walking in the forest and along the slopes of the mountain also visiting small waterfalls found in the reserve.Best for recreational activities,meditation ,picnics and bird watching.
We also offers camping services, mobile tents for visitors inside and outside the reserve with several camping sites/grounds. However, a guest can contact NAKISAFARIS to help you with all the arrangements in terms of accommodation whether inside or outside the reserve.
With the elevation of 3,423m here at Mount Hanang’ is a good site also for acclimatization before climbing the roof of Africa, the Mount Kilimanjaro. The Mtimmoja and the Cave campsites are characterized as sunrise and sunset view points and good sites for acclimatization (>3,000m asl).
We also offer culture tourism such as traditional dances,traditional accessorizing,local brew tasting,visiting sacred sites all from the indigenous tribes of Iraq and Barbaig. In our package a visitor can visit traditional healers and participate in traditional dances and preparation of local brew around the villages. Moreover tourist can visit farms,primary and secondary schools, churches and local markets which are conducted twice a month.Collection of both nature and culture can breed a very tremendous and impressive experience culture tours that can be conducted within the reserve and village adjacent to the reserve.
Mount Hanang’ is reach in biodiversity characterized with high endemism of flora and fauna, high water catchment values and beautiful landscapes. The reserve is a perfect place for research and studies. The area is less researched and documented, therefore students and other researchers from different parts of the world can conduct their research mountain Hanang’ especially in the field of entomology, ethnology, hydrology, geology, soil, ecology, zoology and social studies.
Student from Primary school,Secondary school, College and universities are welcomed at Mount Hanang nature forest reserve to learn different aspects in the field of forests ecotourism, history, culture, agritourism and beekeeping activities. National Forest policy favours research and information dissemination to improve biodiversity, water washed management and soil conservation.
Mount Hanang’ Nature Forest Reserve is home to a wide range of endemic, rare and endangered bird species. Currently, there are no specialized bird guides who will direct you to the right watching spots available such as Jorodom-Peak and Jorodom-Gitting-Barjomot trails. One can also conduct a night walking to view some birds which can easily be seen during the night. It is advised to get/carry your own equipment for bird watching such as a camera and binoculars and best bird’s professionals.
Night walking is becoming very popular now days to most of the visitors, one can conduct a night walking inside reserve. It is permitted to conduct a night walking and one can ask for a ranger from the reserve or book a local tour guide who can offer night walking inside the Mountain. Some of the birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians can easily be sighted during the night. One can connect a night walking with a sunset in one of the peaks such as Nangwa peak, Gitting and Barjomot forest/viewpoints.
Visitors are advised to spend not less than 2 days and 1 night for better enjoyment and satisfactions excluding attractions and activities outside the reserve. The reserve can be visited at any time a day and the safari within the reserve can start at any time depending on the nature/purpose of visit. Due to the fact that mountainous reserve by nature with steep slopes, gorges and hills, therefore the means of mobility to all attractions within the reserve is by walking. There are several campsites and picnic sites/resting points that will allow the visitors to break and rest/acclimatize with the environment.
Tourism business shows a positive trend in Tanzania (especially eco-tourism), there are number of investment opportunities within and around Mount Hanang’ Nature Forest Reserve. Investors are welcomed to invest in accommodation (camping services and eco lodges), cuisine services (restaurants) and sports/entertainments facilities. These sites offer investment opportunities in the following areas;
Meals and Accommodation
Currently there are limited meals and accommodation services in/around MHNFR therefore; this area offers a substantial opportunity for investment. The management of MHNFR (TFS) invites both foreign and local investors to invest inside and outside the reserve in terms of picnic lunch, picnic sites, camp sites and Eco-lodges.
Sports and Entertainments
Currently the activities which are carried out at the Mount Hanang includes hiking, bird watching, forest walking, viewing, camping, photographing, filming, cultural activities, researching and studying.
Tanzania is a peaceful country and with friendly people in Africa. Mount Hanang’ Nature Forest Reserve is managed and protected by Tanzania Forest Services Agency (TFS) under Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism. Management adopted participatory forest management (PFM) approach to protect and manage the reserve. The forest has a very good relation with communities living in 11 villages surrounding it and with other organizations and institutions (public and private) in Hanang District.
There are village environmental committees in every village surrounding MHNFR tasked to protect and conserve the forest and to oversee all the activities conducted in the forest. Through this participatory forest management programs it a safe place to visit. We have well trained and experienced local tour guides who are well informed and aware with the environment within the reserve