Usambara mountains are located in Northern Tanzania in the Lushoto district, Tanga region. In its interior one immerses in a leafy and ancestral tropical forest with the pure air of diverse vegetation. Historically the area was inhabited by the Bantu, Shambaa and Maasai tribes. However, in the mid-nineteenth century, the Germans colonized the land, thus some traces of their legacy can still be seen while you walk along Lushoto, mostly in terms of its buildings.
We began our journey early Wednesday morning. My first backpacking experience. That first day we were accompanied by torrential rain, so we had to prepare our tents quickly. However, that did not stop us from a tour around Lushoto accompanied by a tour guide, who told us about the history of the place.
On Thursday morning we began our climb, first passing through Lushoto, greeting the locals and recognizing some of the buildings we had seen the day before. Along the journey, we continued walking carrying our heavy backpacks with our lunch and belongings. After a few kilometers, we arrived at a beautiful viewpoint where we enjoyed a truly breathtaking landscape.
Later on, we arrived at a place called German Cave where German settlers used to hide during the First World War. The cave reminded me of some of my experiences in Chile, such as exploring the caverns under the Villarica volcano and "El chiflón del diablo" coal mine in Lota. Then we settled at the camping site of our second night, where we appreciated the sunset all together, and realized all the incredible experiences added along the day.
On Friday morning, our last hiking day, we got into the tropical rainforest, where we appreciated the biodiversity of the place. Some species of fungi, chameleons camouflaging among the bushes, butterflies, peculiar leaves with thorns and we even had the opportunity to see a monkey at a distance lying on the canopy. We felt the petrichor thanks to the rain the day before and we observed fascinated the immense trees and their ancestral roots. Later on, we walked along narrow and steep paths which led us to the highway. Walking a few kilometers along the road accompanied by the bright and warm sunlight.
After continuing backpacking the last kilometers, I felt my fatigue, especially in the steepest parts where I thought I would give up. Nevertheless, we encouraged ourselves to keep walking and not surrender. We made it with our last efforts to the summit. By reaching the top we became speechless. Giving a glance to Usambaras from the top in all its splendor and realize the 20 kilometers walked throughout our journey.
Usambaras was a trip that I will definitely remember for a long time. Each step was totally worth it. I feel truly grateful I decided to undertake this adventure. Moreover, I feel deeply grateful for the wonderful people with whom I shared this trip, my classmates, teachers, and staff. Without them, the experience would not have been the same.
This OP trip to the Usambara Mountains gave me the opportunity to connect with people with whom I usually do not talk that much. The Usambara Mountains gave me the opportunity to get to know some of their stories and also get to know myself quite more. Thanks to the Usambara Mountains trip I had the opportunity to challenge my own limits, limits of which I was not aware at all. I came to realize that every mission can be possible by working as a team with determination, effort and believing in each other and ourselves.
You can also find this article in the UWC East Africa Student Magazine started by our friend from Guatemala Ken Baeza. Go and check the link and you will find many other articles written by UWCEA students!