On the shores of Lake Tanganyika, the oldest and deepest lakes in the world lies a pristine and remote park; the Mahale National Park which holds and protect the largest known population of chimpanzees, the jungle and the mountains. Visiting the park is a gratifying experience as you have a chance to carry game drive, chimp-trekking, hiking, snorkeling and bird watching.
The establishment of this Park was a reflection of the government commitment to preserving the chimpanzee population as well as an emulation of the efforts by Japanese researchers who pioneered to conduct research on primates including chimpanzees.
The park experiences two rainy seasons, the short rains (mid October-November) and heavy rains (March to mid may) with an annual range of 1,500 – 2,500mm. The park is located at an altitude between 750 and 2,250 meters.
The park can be accessed throughout the year by road, water and air.
From Kigoma town the park can be accessed by road 128km (5hrs drive) south, the road running south-east of Lake Tanganyika shore.
Using charted flight (Zantas air, Coastal aviation, Air Excel and safari air link) from all major cities and towns.
Also can be reached by ship (9-10hrs cruise) via Lake Tanganyika to Lagosa point and then by using boat with 30 minutes cruise to the park. Also there is a public transport at Rukoma village or Mgambo village where you can hire a local boat or arrange with park for boat pick up, or public transport to Park Headquarter.
Mahale Mountains National Park is famous for chimpanzees, However there are other attractions like the Lake Tanganyika which is the second oldest freshwater lake in the world ,the second largest by volume and the second deepest in all cases after lake Baikal in Siberia. Other attractions include beautiful varieties of waterfalls like Ntale, Kasiha and Sansa , wild animals like warthogs, mountains and sand beaches.
The chimps are always seen in the forest jumping from one branch to another, from one tree to another and other times on the ground playing, grooming and eating.
This longest and deepest lake in the world with magnificent views of the shores provides a unique visitors experience especially when carrying snorkeling or resting on the shores while watching aquatic birds and at sundown the red sky taking a thousand words.
It takes about 5hours to reach the top and during the hike one can spot different wildlife which makes your journey unforgettable.
Ujiji is the oldest town in western Tanzania, located about 6 miles (10 km) south of Kigoma also known as Kavele. This was an Arabic settlement during the slave trade, used to be the terminus for the old caravan route from the coast.
Ujiji has also historical significance for explorers, it is a place where burton and speke first reached the shore of lake Tanganyika in 1858. And the place where Dr living stone met Stanley in 1871, a monument known as Dr. living stone memorial has been constructed to commemorate the meeting . there is a slave route near the market.
Near the shore of lake Tanganyika lies an ancient and traditional fishing market. At night when the lake relatively calm, visitors may enjoy the romantic site of softly lit lake.
Mahale Mountains National Park has activities that give visitors opportunities to enjoy its beauty. The Park will give opportunities to do Chimp trekking, Walking safari, Boat cruising, Sport fishing and Mountain hiking.
The chimpanzee trekking takes visitors on a wild adventure through the hazy forest. Sighting can vary between 30 minutes for the first sightings to up to 3 hours.
Mahale is not just about chimpanzee-trekking; it offers the perfect balance of wildlife viewing where animals like roan and sable antelope and mongoose is easily seen and also sometimes lion and leopard. The park offers short and long walks in the network of strategically positioned natural trails which provide a wide range of choice to visitors.
This activity enable visitors get a chance to view a spectacular beauty of the lake and lake shore full of beautiful beaches, water birds, crocodiles, hippos, otters and plant species along the shores while enjoying the cool breeze from the lake.
The highest point of the park ; Kungwe peak with an elevation of 2462m a.s.l provide visitors with a unique sense of physical challenge when climbing to the peak. It takes about 7–9 hours to and fro from the peak.
Click one of our contacts below to chat on WhatsApp
