Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
spend at least one night in Mtae as buses from Lushoto (Tsh5000, four hours) travel only
in the afternoons, departing Lushoto by about 1pm. The return buses from Mtae to Lushoto
depart between 4am and 5.30am en route to Dar es Salaam.
MARKET DAYS
Local villages are especially colourful on market days, when traders come on
foot from miles around to peddle their wares:
Bumbuli
Saturday, with a smaller market on Tuesday
Lushoto
Sunday, with a smaller market on Thursday
Mlalo
Wednesday
Soni
Tuesday, with a smaller market on Friday
MLALO
Set in a valley cut by the Umba River, Mlalo is an incongruous place with a Wild West
feel, a modest selection of basics and accommodation. Nearby is
Kitala Hill
, home of one
of the Usambara subchiefs. The walk between Mlalo and Mtae (five to six hours, 21km) is
beautiful, passing by terraced hillsides, picturesque villages and patches of forest.
Afilfx Guest House
(r without bathroom Tsh4000) in the town centre has no-frills rooms
with shared bucket showers and meals.
Lutheran Mission
(r Tsh10,000) sometimes takes travellers. It's away from the town
centre; cross the bridge from the bus stand and head right, asking directions as you go.
Buses run daily between Dar es Salaam and Mlalo via Lushoto, departing Lushoto by
about 1pm, and Mlalo by about 5am (Tsh4000 between Mlalo and Lushoto). There are also
sporadic dalla-dallas.
SONI
Tiny Soni lacks Lushoto's infrastructure, but makes a good change of pace if you'll be
staying longer in the Usambaras. It's known for nearby
Kwa Mungu mountain
, about 30
minutes away on foot, and for the small
Soni Falls
, which you can see to the left along the
road coming up from Mombo. Soni is also the starting point for several wonderful walks,
including a two- to three-day hike to the Mazumbai Forest Reserve and Bumbuli town, and
a three- to five-hour return walk to pine-clad
Sakharani
, a Benedictine mission that sells
locally produced wine. There's also a lovely, longer walk from Maweni Farm up to Gare
Mission and on to Lushoto. The area around Gare (one of the first missions in the area)
was reforested as part of erosion control efforts, and it's interesting to see the contrast with
