UDZUNGWA FOREST CAMP
Udzungwa Forest Tented Camp borders the Udzungwa Mountains National Park, in the Kilombero Valley southern Tanzania. The camp is known locally as Hondo Hondo meaning “Hornbill” in Swahili, due to the amazing number of these remarkable birds which make the area their home. Hondo’s lush green grounds are on the border of the pristine rainforest and offer excellent views of the forest canopy.
The forest is home to several primate species, including the endemic Udzungwa Red Colobus, the remarkable Sanje Creastest Mangabey, and the Black and white Colobus. Many different hornbill species fly in over the forest edge and settle in trees along the borders of the rainforest in large numbers every evening at sunset, and the echoes with their distinctive calls.
This camp has been featured on Birdwatching.co.uk!
Hondo Hondo Tented Camp offers six Forest en-suite tented rooms situated along or overlooking the forest boundary and providing a comfortable accommodation experience. These rooms offer good facilities and great forest views and enjoy the relaxation of your stay in the surrounding shambaland and forest.
Each is well equipped, with all furniture made from locally available renewable sources such as coconut wood and bamboo. All beds boast comfortable spring mattresses, so you can be sure of getting a good night’s sleep, and the soft throws over the beds are made by the local Ifakara Women Weavers group, which is one of the lodge community support projects. The open-air bathrooms offer views up into the nearby forest canopy while you shower, and are equipped with western-style flush toilets, solar hot water “rain” showers, sinks, and shaver sockets.
The water is heated exclusively by solar energy. Electric lighting is provided through the camp with low-energy LED bulbs, and each tent is equipped with lighting, personal solar reading lights, a solar fan, and a socket for charging phones and cameras.
These comfortable and well-appointed canvas rooms make an excellent change from the usual range of places to stay, and as you fall asleep you can listen to the sound of elephants passing by in the night, or the tree hyraxes calling in the trees.