The southern edge of the Njombe plateau drops away spectacularly into the Kilombero valley — a 1,500-metre escarpment of forested cliffs and tea estates. The view east toward Mahenge from the Lupembe-Madeke road is the most dramatic single panorama in southern Tanzania.
The descent itself takes about three hours by car on the all-weather road. Halfway down lies the Lupembe-Madeke mission, with a small guesthouse for those who want to stay overnight. The hot lowland country at the foot of the escarpment is malarial; the breezy plateau above is not.