Mahale Mountains National Park

Set against the shores of Lake Tanganyika in the far west of Tanzania, Mahale Mountains National Park is one of Tanzania’s most remote and isolated parks, accessible only by small aircraft. It is home to over 1,000 chimpanzees, as well as some absolutely stunning scenery. Although nearby Gombe Stream National Park is arguably more famous for its chimp encounters, the primates in Mahale are more numerous and encounters more reliable and prolonged. Mahale has a good claim to being the best place to view wild chimps in the world.

But Mahale isn’t just about chimps, though they’re certainly the main attraction. The mountains are covered in dense forest, which is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. It is totally unspoiled, with no roads through the park, meaning you’re restricted to moving on foot—there are lengthy walking trails and forest paths, some man-made and some of them animal trails created over many years. And then there’s Lake Tanganyika, the longest freshwater lake in the world. The few camps that you’ll find in Mahale are all situated on the shores of the lake, so as to offer a mix of forest and water-based activities: beach and forest walks, kayaking, swimming, sailing, lake sundowners and fishing.

Mahale Mountains National Park is very remote. Reaching the camps on the lakeshore requires you to take a light aircraft to the park, followed by a boat journey along the lake. As a result, Mahale is costly to visit, and relatively few visitors to Tanzania include it in their itineraries. Those that do, however, always come back with the most wonderful memories – there really is nowhere else like Mahale.

To get an idea for how you can incorporate Mahale into a northern or southern Tanzania safari, have a look at our comprehensive Ngorongoro, Mahale, Selous and Zanzibar itinerary. Mahale also combines well with western Tanzania’s other little-visited parks, such as Gombe and Katavi.

In and around Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania
Although getting there is difficult, a chimp trekking safari in Mahale is well worth the effort. Nowhere else, with the exception of Gombe Stream, offers you such up-close encounters in the wild. Observing wild chimpanzees in their natural habitat is an experience like no other. You cannot help but be touched by their grace and human-like qualities.

Do note that you will be required to hike through the jungle to find the chimpanzees, though the treks are not usually overly strenuous (if you’ve ever been on a gorilla safari you’ll have a good idea of what to expect).

Most days in Mahale start with a visit to the chimps, while the afternoons and evenings are free for you to pursue other activities. Beyond the chimps, activities in Mahale tend to focus on the lake and beaches along its shore: beach walks, sailing excursions, fishing, kayaking and evening sundowners on the water are all possible. Lake Tanganyika boasts some absolutely stunning untouched beaches.