• Chimpanzee, Tanzania

Highlights and main attractions of Mahale Mountains National Park

Highlights and main attractions of Mahale Mountains National Park

This unique safari destination of outstanding beauty is one of the most remote and inaccessible in Tanzania. Dominated by the Mahale Mountain Range, this rugged and wild landscape is famous for its magical chimpanzee trekking, well worth making some time for.

Bordered by a 1.6 kilometre wide section of Lake Tanganyika to the west, the park starts on the powder-white sandy shores, overshadowed by wild jungle. Gazetted in 1985, the park is about 1,613 square kilometres in size and is a hilly terrain, untamed and unruly. The forests are alive with sound, the chattering of primates in the trees and the shuffles of warthogs on the earth. 

WILDLIFE

Here, deep in the heart of Africa, in a place accessible only by boat, you will find some of Africa’s last remaining wild chimpanzees. Around 1,000 live here, habituated to humans allowing for some face-to-face encounters. Just over 60 of them belong to the M-Group, led by Alpha male, Alofu, who are happy to be observed at close quarters. Hikes to find them can range from a 20-minute relaxed stroll to a strenuous 3-hour hike, but the result is worth it either way. Watching these cheeky chimps go about their daily business, fighting, grooming and caring for their young is absolutely unforgettable. We recommend you spend at least two days here, giving you time for some good sightings. At the end of the dry season, they tend to stay closer to the shores of the lake, and the terrain is less slippery, so tracking can be much easier.

After spending some time in the forests with the primates, there is nothing like relaxing on the pristine sands of the beach or snorkelling the waters where you will find hundreds of vibrantly coloured species of cichlids. It is possible to climb the highest peak in the range, Nkungwe (2,462 metres) if you have more than a few days.

MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK HAS THE HIGHEST DENSITY OF PRIMATES OF ANY PARK IN AFRICA, WITH COLOBUS, RED AND VERVET MONKEYS, AS WELL AS YELLOW BABOONS.

Accommodation here includes the incredible Greystoke Camp, where you will find the best guides in the region. Right on the beach, head out to watch the chimps amongst the vines and waterfalls of the park, or even try your hand a spot of fishing.

BOOK YOUR TANZANIA SAFARI

Contact one of our Destination Specialists to start planning your journey to Tanzania. Please note we recommend a budget of from £7,000 / $10,000 USD per person for our style of trip to this destination.

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