KITULO NATIONAL PARK
Date Expired !
Overview
Locals refer to the Kitulo Plateau as Bustani ya Mungu – The Garden of God – while botanists have dubbed it the Serengeti of Flowers, host to “one of the great floral spectacles of the world”. And Tanzania’s newest national park is indeed a rare botanical marvel, home to a full 350 species of vascular plants, including 45 varieties of terrestrial orchid, which erupt into a riotous wildflower display of breathtaking scale and diversity during the main rainy season of late November to April.
Perched at around 2,600 metres MASL (8,500 ft) between the rugged peaks of the Kipengere, Poroto and Livingstone Mountains, the well-watered volcanic soils of Kitulo support the largest and most important montane grassland community in Tanzania. One of the most important watersheds for the Great Ruaha River, Kitulo is also the first national park in tropical Africa to be gazetted largely for its floral significance – not only a multitude of orchids, but also the stunning yellow-orange red-hot poker and a variety of aloes, proteas, geraniums, giant lobelias, lilies and aster daisies, of which more than 30 species are endemic to southern Tanzania.
Big game is sparsely represented, though a few hardy mountain reedbuck still roam the open grassland. But Kitulo – a botanist and hiker’s paradise – is also highly alluring to birdwatchers. Tanzania’s only population of the rare Denham’s bustard is resident, alongside a breeding colony of the endangered blue swallow and such range-restricted species as mountain marsh widow, Njombe cisticola and Kipengere seedeater. Endemic species of butterfly, chameleon, lizard and frog further enhance the biological wealth of God’s Garden.
F.A.Q
How can I pay for the tour?
For booking a tour we require it to be paid at the time of booking. This is the only guarantee for you to get the tour that you booked. You can also pay for the tour in cash at the start of the tour. But in this you will need to buy our cancellation insurance online at least. This insurance frees you from any cancellation penalties. No questions asked. No other payment required. For complex tours we require a prepayment, which you need to pay when you have agreed to our proposed itinerary and terms. The prepayment can range from 10% to 100%, depending on the tour.
Can I pay by credit card?
Yes, we offer credit card payments with our payment partner. You may pay by MasterCard and VISA.
Do I have to pay in Euro?
No. You can pay in Euro, US-Dollars or in Ukrainian Hryvnia. We simply quote the prices in Euro because it is a stable currency. You do not need to change to Euro to pay us. You can pay online in many currencies or in cash at the current exchange rate to Euro given by a currency exchange in Lviv.
What if I am late for the tour?
If you are up to 15mins late for the tour, then your guide/transport will of course wait for you and continue the tour as normal. Your guide will still give you the full tour. If you are more than half an hour late, then it may not make sense to go ahead with the tour as planned (and also, if private transport has been hired to get you to the tour start, it will almost certainly have been lost if you are this late). Instead we will probably suggest trying to rearrange the tour, or in some cases the only option may be for you to cancel. If the lateness or subsequent cancellation is out of your control then we will look at your situation specifically to see if we can offer any form of partial refund. In all cases of lateness (and even in the VERY rare case that it appears your guide or hired transport is late), please call us as soon as possible at +380-67-201 5297 to let us know. Please also make sure that your clock is turned to the right timezone. Sometimes guests forgot to switch. You can always ask your hotel for the current time.
If I cancel the tour, do you offer a refund?
Yes, we refund you based on our Cancellation Policy. The amount of the refund depends on when you cancel the tour. If you want to make sure to get your money back, we offer a Cancellation Insurance for all tours. If it has not been offered to you, please contact us!