Mount Rungwe is the first highest mountain in Mbeya region and dominates the skyline for several kilometers around.It is composed of 10 or more dormant volcanic craters and domes.Rungwe mountain Rising above the small town of Tukuyu,at 2981m,Rungwe mountains is the southern Tanzania's first peak. The mountain is surrounded by the catchment forest reserve that gazetted in 1949,which incorporates mountain forest and mountain grassland,with lesser amounts of bushland and health at the upper elevation found in low bushes along streams and at the edges of mountain forest. The southeastern slopes of these mountains receives up to 3000mm of rainfall a year,the highest rainfall in Tanzania.The mountains has spiritual significance to the Wanyakyusa and Wasafwa tribe for medicine and praying. The forest home to variety of significant forest flora and fauna,including the threatened Abbot's Duiker and it is regarded as important bird area with two species listed as vulnerable' there are also two new species of primate and over 530 species of orchids. Catchments from the reserve feeds numerous villages and towns from Kiwira to Katumba to Tukuyu and Kandete and all streams from the north,south and southwest flow into the Kiwira River. all of the above rivers flow into Lake Nyasa.Well-defined hiking trails have being established to enable hikers to reach the top. The famous route is from Kyimo junction and can be measured in a day.5km from main road(Kyimo junction )to starting point.
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