Main Info
Mahale is probably the loveliest national park in Tanzania. On one side are the high mountains with thick forest and on the other side you have the beautiful crystal clear waters of Lake Tanganyika. And in the middle there are the deserted beautiful white sandy beaches. Simply paradise. Besides tracking chimpanzees and other primates in the park, one can also do some other worthwhile activities such as swimming, snorkeling, fishing, walking on the lakeshore, boating and visiting the nearby fishing villages.
Mahale is relatively bigger, wilder and houses more chimpanzees than Gombe. Statistics indicate that there are more than 700 wild chimpanzees in different communities at Mahale. There is only one habituated group open for tourism and that is the Mimikere group. In size mahale is about 30 times bigger than Gombe occupying about 1,613sqkm. Topographically the park is dominated by the Mahale range, which is a part of the rift valley escarpment that rises sharply from the lakeshore up to the highest peak in the range. There are 4 main vegetation zones characterizing Mahale; these are Miombo woodland, rainforest, savannah and montane grassland.
GOMBE STREAM NATIONAL PARK DESCRIPTION
Gombe Stream National Park is located in western Tanzania, 10 miles (20 km) north of Kigoma town, the regional capital of western Tanzania.Established in 1968, Gombe is the smallest national park in Tanzania,with only 20 square miles (52 km²) of forest running along the hills of the northern shore of Lake Tanganyika. The terrain is distinguished by steep valleys, and the forest vegetation ranges from grassland to alpine bamboo to tropical rainforest Accessible only by boat, the park is most famous as the location where Jane Googdallpioneered her behavioral research conducted on the chimpanzee populations.The Kasakela Chimanzee Community,featured in several books and documentaries, lives in Gombe Stream National Park.
Gombe Stream’s high levels of diversity make it an increasingly popular tourist destination. Besides chimpanzees, primates inhabiting Gombe Stream include beachcomber olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys and vervet monkeys The park is also home to over 200 bird speciesand bushpigs.There are also 11 species of snakes, and occasional >hippopotamus and leopards. >Visitors to the park can trek into the forest to view the chimpanzees, as well as swim and snorkel in Lake Tanganyika with almost 100 kinds of colorful cichlid fish
Itinerary
Day 1:Arrival Arusha or Dar es Salaam for overnight BB
Day 2:Flight out of Arusha departing for Mahale. On arrival transfer to one of the luxury tented camps. Lunch at camp; spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure. Dinner and bonfire at the camp.
Day 3:Breakfast at the camp, and then proceed for early morning game viewing (chimpanzee tracking in the forest). As you walk in the thick forest while tracking the chimpanzees you pass through beautiful scenery and hear thrilling sounds of birds, insects and other inhabitants of the forest. Lunch at the camp. Spend the rest of the afternoon game viewing by boat on the Lake. Lake Tanganyika is very clean and clear so you can enjoy the beautiful sightseeing. Here you will see a variety of birds, hippos etc. Dinner and bonfire at camp.
Day 4:After breakfast another early morning game viewing (Chimpanzee tracking in the forest). Lunch at camp. Spend the rest of the afternoon fishing by boat on the lake for 2-3 hrs. Mahale is one of the best locations on Lake Tanganyika for fishing; hence you will be able to catch a lot of fish in only a few hours. Some of the types of species caught are the sangara (Nile Perch) and kuhe (Yellow Belly). Dinner/Overnight at camp.
Day 5:After breakfast short game viewing. Afternoon at leisure. In the evening connect flight to Kigoma. Spend the evening sightseeing in Kigoma town. Dinner and overnight at Kigoma Hilltop Hotel.
Day 6:After breakfast morning at leisure. Early lunch and connect afternoon flight to Arusha/Dar es Salaam and depart for next destination.
Trip cost per person:- $2,600 (from 2pax and more)
SERVICES INCLUDED :-
- All flights out of Arusha/Dar es Salaam and transfers to airstrip
- Full Board accommodationSoft drinks & beverages (camps), laundry (camps)
- Park FeesSightseeing in Kigoma town
- Trekking activities mentioned in above program & tour guide
SERVICES NOT INCLUDED :-
- Gratitudes
- Airport transfers other than to nearest airstrip
- Travel/Baggage,insurance
- All other items of personal nature
Day 1:Arrival Arusha or Dar es Salaam for overnight BB
Day 2:Arrive in Kigoma. Shuttle service from airport or railway station to Kigoma Hilltop Hotel for
Day 3:After breakfast departure to Mahale National Park by boat. Snacks & Drinks at half way point. Visit the Mahale Park Information Center at the Park H/Quarters. Afternoon at leisure. Meals and accommodation in Nkungwe luxury tented camp.
Day 4:Breakfast at the camp.Game viewing and chimpanzee tracking in the reserve. Afternoon boat safari on the lake. Meals and overnight in the camp.
Day 5:After breakfast game viewing and chimpanzee tracking. Lunch at the camp. Afternoon fishing by boat on the lake. Dinner and overnight in the camp.
Day 6:After breakfast departure to Kigoma. Afternoon at leisure. Lunch and dinner at Sangara restaurant. Overnight in Kigoma Hilltop Hotel.
Day 7:After breakfast departure to Gombe National Park by boat. Game viewing and chimpanzee tracking in the reserve. Climb to the waterfalls. Afternoon at leisure. Meals and accommodation at Gombe Luxury Tented Camp.
Day 8:After breakfast game viewing and chimpanzee tracking. Climb to Jane’s peak. Lunch at the camp. Departure by boat to Kigoma Hilltop Hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Meals in Sangara restaurant.
Day 9:Breakfast at the hotel.Drive to the airport or railway station.
Trip cost per person:- $3,105 (from 2pax and more)
SERVICES INCLUDED IN PRICES:-
- All flights out of Arusha and transfers to airstrip
- Full Board accommodation
- Soft drinks & beverages (camps),
- laundry (camps)
- Park FeesSightseeing in Kigoma
- Safari activities mentioned in above program & tour guide.
SERVICES NOT INCLUDED IN PRICES:-
- Travel/Baggage, insurance
- All other items of personal nature
