Footsteps through Amani

I know that we are marching through February, and figured that it was time I finally got the last of my pictures up from my Christmas trip.  After finishing language training in Morogoro, I traveled north into the tropical rainforest of Amani Nature Preserve.  Also part of the Eastern Arc Mountain Chain, it is known as the origin of the African violets that are now common household plants.  For several days, I found myself hiking under tree ferns, through tea plantations, searching for three horned chameleons and learning as much as I could about the tropical rainforest ecosystem.



Hiking under the tree ferns.



Seeing their giant fiddle heads lent a whole new meaning to the delicacy eaten in Maine during the spring.



Amani Nature Preserve is known worldwide for its butterfly farm which supplies many museums with butterflies for special exhibitions.  This particular butterfly is camouflaged to look like a leaf when its wings are closed, but displays these fantastic colors when its wings are open.




The tea plantations created many pockets of sunlight in the dense rainforest. 



Hiking through the tea plantations, we arrived at one of the sites where one species of African violets is found.  Growing on the damp cliffs next to the river bank, this is one of the seven species of African violets growing in Amani.




We discovered this three horned chameleon on a night hike with a biologist who is currently studying them in the preserve.  Chameleons are easiest to discover at night when they are not as well camouflaged.



Not only is Amani home to African Violets, beautiful forests and a renowned butterfly farm, it was also originally a research center when the British controlled Tanzania.  Nestled in the rainforest, this history is preserved by the stone cottages and this traditional English pay phone.  It doesn't matter how far you travel, some things still make you feel right at home!