ABOUT CHOME NATURE RESERVE
Chome Nature Forest Reserve(CNFR) is a unique montane rain forest in the South Pare Mountains in Kilimanjaro Region.Chome NFR is managed by the Tanzania Forest Services (TFS) Agency of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism(MNRT).
CNFR was established in 1951 under Government Notice No. 125 of 25/5/1951 followed by a variation order No. 303 of 20/6/1958. CNFR is fomally gazetted by Government Notice (GN) number 105 published on 25/03/2016. It forms part of Eastern Arc Mountain group and is located in South Pare Mountain.Locally it is known as Shengena Forest. The reserve cover total area of 14,283 ha and total length of 67 km.
Location
Chome Nature Forest Reserve is situated in the South Pare Mountains in North East Tanzania between 40 10’ to 4024’s and 370 53` to 380 00`E and includes the highest ridge of the range and the highest peak of Mt Shengena (2463m a.s.l), but it slopes down to an elevation of 1250m a.s.l on its Eastern edge. The South Pare Mountains form a part of the Northern section of the Eastern Arc Mountain group with the North Pare range to the North West, the Taita Hills in Kenya to the North East and the West and East Usambara ranges to the South East, and a chain of mountain ranges running South West. The CNFR is among of twelve Nature reserves found in Tanzania (Eastern Arc Mountains).
The South Pare Mountains are a part of a forested chain of mountains stretching across Tanzania and into Kenya known as the Eastern Arc Mountains. Many unique species
thrive in the Eastern Arc, including over 500 plant species and 136 vertebrate species that are found nowhere else on earth of which 18 are found in Chome NFR. Acre for acre
there are more unique plant and animal species in the Arc than anywhere else in Africa, and the area is considered one of the planet's most important biodiversity hotsport.
Chome Nature Forest Reserve consists of a 16 km central ridge running north-south cloaked in lush, evergreen forest. Shengena Peak (2,462m) in the north-west of the reserve is the second highest peak in Kilimanjaro Region, after Mt Kilimanjaro. From Shengena Peak, visitors can enjoy spectacular views of Mkomazi NP, the North Pare Mountains, Taita Hills and even Mt Meru. The forest is the main source of water for Same Town and the irrigation schemes in the adjacent lowlands.
The reserve is predominantly montane forest
with patches of heath, montane grassland and
moss-draped elfin forest. Visitors can admire
the impressively large East African Camphor
trees, some reaching 30 m high and 2 metres
in diameter.
The South Pare Mountains are home to 4 species that are only known from these Mountains (Chome NFR) including the bird, namely the South Pare
white-eye and three amphibian species.
The mountains are classified as an ‘important bird area’. More than 95 bird species have been recorded from the reserve including Hunter’s cisticola and the Red-capped tailor bird. There are two species of monkey present: Sykes monkey and the Eastern Arc race of the Angola pied colobus. Other mammals include elephant shrews, anomalures and red duiker.
Nature Reserve Facts
? Total area: 14,283 ha
? Altitude: 1,250 – 2,462 metres
? Annual rainfall: 1,400 mm
? Temperature: 15 – 25°C
? Important for: biodiversity, rain water catchment
? Threats: forest fires, illegal tree felling, illegal gold mining
Visitor attractions
There are a number of excellent hiking trails through the reserve’s forest. All times shown are for walking there and back.
• Shengena Peak Trail, for an excellent view of Mkomazi National Park and Taita Hills in Kenya (6hrs)
• Turaco Trail, for keen birders (2.5 hrs)
• Butterfly Trail, to see high, montane forest with many species of butterflies, flowers and epiphytes (1.5 hrs)
• Thomson Waterfalls Trail (2 hrs)
• Bat Caves Trail (6 hrs)
• Bwambo Drive, to watch birds, monkeys, butterflies and enjoy various viewpoints over Mkomazi Game Reserve (4 hrs – 4WD required)
The area also includes some sites of historical and cultural value, for instance the King’s Stone, a huge rocky outcrop that was used for human sacrifices to the Wapare traditional gods. It is a very steep and slippery climb through thick bush.
Organizing your trip
Tourist Information Centre
Before arriving in the nature reserve, you should pay the visitor fees at the Tourist Information Centre. This is situated 8 km south of Same Town in Mkonga Forest
Reserve on the main road from Moshi to Dar es Salaam. It is known locally as the JAICA centre.
Accommodation
There are 2 camp sites, one inside the reserve and one next to the car park at the reserve entrance. Each camp site has a toilet and a bucket shower. There are no cooking facilities inside the reserve, so campers need to be completely self-sufficient. Alternatively, you can stay at one of the guesthouses in one of the villages surrounding the reserve or at the Nzoroko Hotel or Elephant Motel in Same Town.There are two guesthouses close to the reserve: Kisaka Village Inn in Chome (1.5 km from Chome NFR), Tona Lodge and Tona Annex in Manka (Mbaga Hills, 10 km from Chome NR).
Directions
Access to Chome is mainly on loose surface roads. Most of the routes are passable throughout the year, but 4WD is required. At the Tourist Information Centre you can get a map and advice on which route to choose. The shortest route from Same takes about 1.5 hours. There is mobile phone coverage all along the way and in parts of the reserve. There is no network coverage on the western side of the reserve.
More information
Website: www.nature-reserve.go.tz
See also: www.nature-nature.go.tz/chome
Mail: chome@nature-reserve.go.tz
Tel phone: (+ 255) (027) 2974105 - 7
P.O. Box 404 Same -
Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
