KituloNational Park

Kitulo National Park protects the high Kitulo Plateau in Tanzania's Southern Highlands, known locally as Bustani ya Mungu — the Garden of God. During the rains the grassland bursts into one of the greatest floral displays in tropical Africa, with a remarkable variety of wild orchids, red-hot pokers, lilies and aloes. It is a place for walkers, botanists and birders rather than big game.

Gazetted in 2005, Kitulo was the first national park in tropical Africa created mainly to protect its flora. The plateau sits at around 2,600 metres, between the Kipengere, Poroto and Livingstone mountains, and hosts hundreds of plant species, including dozens of terrestrial orchids.

The park also protects montane forest in the Livingstone Mountains, home to the kipunji, a monkey that was only described by scientists in 2005. Rare highland birds such as Denham's bustard and the blue swallow draw dedicated birders.

Kitulo is best explored on foot, on day hikes across the flower meadows and to waterfalls and viewpoints over the surrounding highlands.