Also known 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 Kitulo 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.
One of the most important watersheds for the Great Ruaha River, Kitulo is well known for its floral signify cancer not only a multitude of orchids, but also the stunning yellow-orange red-hot poker and a variety of aloes, pro-teas, 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 reed-buck and eland still roam the open grassland.
About the Kitulo Plateau National Park
Size: 412.9 sq km (159 sq miles)
Location: Southern Tanzania.
The temporary park headquarters at Matamba are situated approximately 100km (60 miles) from Mbeya town.