Mahale National Park
Mahale Mountains National Park, located in Western Tanzania south of Kigoma town, is a secluded haven bordered by the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tanganyika the world’s longest freshwater lake, second deepest, and renowned for its exceptional clarity and over 1,000 endemic fish species.
The park is celebrated for its unforgettable chimpanzee trekking experiences, with over 850 wild chimpanzees inhabiting its lush forests. Visitors also have the chance to spot a variety of primates including yellow baboon, red colobus, blue monkey, red-tailed monkey, and vervet monkey. Mahale’s long-standing research program, initiated by Japanese scientists in the 1960s, mirrors the renowned chimpanzee studies conducted by Jane Goodall in nearby Gombe Stream National Park. While sightings are rare, the park’s eastern slopes are home to elusive big game such as African elephant, lion, wild dog, roan antelope, buffalo, and giraffe.
The climate is warm and humid throughout the year, with average daytime temperatures hovering around 27°C and evenings cooling to 17°C—providing ideal conditions for wildlife safaris, chimpanzee tracking, and nature photography.
BEST TIME TO VISIT
- May to October, is the best period for trekking chimpanzees. During this period, chimps tend to stay close to the lakeshore and likely to be seen in big groups, the sunshine illuminates the fish in the Lake and the beach is an inviting place to relax.
- The Park is accessible all year round. A visit in the rainy season can also be a memorable experience, but the trails might be difficult to walk
WHAT TO DO
- Chimps and mountain Trekking
- Local and sports fishing, sundowners, Snorkeling, Swimming and roaming in the forest,
- Forest birds, fauna and flora tour, camping safari, beach stay, MV LIEMBA tour.
- Filming, photographic Safari, Honeymoon port of Call
- Beach Stay, Leisure , and beach sport
GETTING THERE
The major entry point to the country will be either Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) in Kilimanjaro, or Julius Nyerere International Airport (DAR) in Dar es Salaam.
The Park is accessible by air, road and boat, as an options to suit the travelers and chimps’ lovers
- By scheduled flight from Arusha, Katavi, Ruaha or from Kigoma with a daily flight from Dar es Salaam airport or chartered flight from major cities Dar es Salaam Zanzibar, Arusha and Dodoma.
- By road from Kigoma, Katavi, Mbeya or Mpanda, but it can be rough and impenetrable, especially in the rainy season.
- By speedboats or timber boats from Kigoma or by large steamship (MV Liemba) leaves Kigoma to Zambia, with numerous stops along the way, including one for Mahale, which is referred to as Lagosa- Mgambo, for park boat to Mahale.
ACCOMMODATIONS
The Park offer budget and luxury facilities,
- Tourist Banda’s for budget travelers and students, the park has five self-contained tourist bandas, two rooms with twin beds and a private bathroom in each bandas with Kitchen facilities for self-catering.
- Three luxury tented camps; Nomad Safaris Luxury Tented Camp, Nkungwe Luxury Tented and Flycatcher Safari Camp
