Best Weekend Hiking in Tanzania: Scenic Trails & Nature Walks at Pugu Hill ⛰️

✅ Great Weekend Getaway in Dar 🚣🏿
1⃣️ Today, I’d like to introduce a fantastic spot for outdoor activities: the **PUGU KAZIMZUMBWI Forest Reserve**, also known as the **”Lungs of Dar es Salaam”** 🌳.

2⃣️ Spanning **12,015 hectares**, it’s one of Tanzania’s oldest remnants of lowland coastal forest. Located just **12 km southwest of Dar es Salaam**, this reserve is renowned for its rich biodiversity and stunning flora and fauna📍.

3⃣️ The reserve boasts numerous attractions, including dense forests with diverse plant life, towering bamboo groves, **Lake Minaki**, **bat caves**, and a **scenic viewpoint** overlooking the entire city—all captured in the photos🗺️.

4⃣️ The reserve is home to the unique **Mpugupugu tree**, found nowhere else in the world, adding an air of mystery—and lending its name to the reserve (check out the twisted tree in **Photo 6**) ⛰️.

Activities here include **hiking, canoeing, birdwatching, photography, camping, and barbecuing**⛺️. A day trip is enough to explore, making it a perfect outdoor escape for Dar residents or travelers with a layover at the airport🔥.

5️⃣ **Costs:**
🔹 **Residents:** Entry **35,000 TZS**, canoeing **25,000 TZS**, plus **5,000 TZS/person** for a guide—**total 65,000 TZS/person**💰 (*10,000 TZS ≈ 29 RMB*).
🔸 **Non-residents:** **75,000 TZS**, covering canoeing, hiking, a guide, and shuttle service (arrangements may vary).
🔹 **BBQ:** **27,000 TZS/person** 🍖.

6️⃣ **Timing:**
A day trip is perfect! We left at **8:15 AM**, arrived by **9:30 AM**, explored the bat cave trail, then hiked, took photos, enjoyed BBQ, and canoed before heading back at **3 PM**—home by **4:30 PM**✨.

**Tips:** Wear comfy shoes, apply sunscreen, avoid shorts, bring mosquito repellent, and have a great weekend! 💯