Chimpanzee Trekking in Tanzania

Chimpanzee trekking is amazingly a distinct primate adventure from the rest of the traditional safaris in Africa. Compared to most African safaris, chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania involves you to navigate throughout and in the lush forest to see chimpanzee thus making it a bucket-list experience among many travelers. To most holidaymakers, Tanzania is famous for game drives but a journey to the remotest side of this country on chimpanzee trek tour is of no doubt a lifetime experience!

What makes chimpanzee trekking an extra-ordinary adventure is the fact that tourists explore the habituated communities of chimpanzees. In Tanzania, you get to discover chimpanzees in the least explored protected areas thus guaranteeing you authentic wilderness experiences.

Where to go for chimpanzee trekking adventure in Tanzania

Mahale Mountains National Park

Nothing magical about African safaris than trekking chimpanzees in the remotest Mahale Mountains National Park. This magnificent protected area is one of the least visited yet also rewards tourists with magical encounters of a lifetime. It is perched in Western Tanzania and protects an estimated population of about 1000 chimpanzees.

Chimpanzee trekking in Mahale Mountains National Park is magical! You get to explore its forests and later relax at the shorelines of Lake Tanganyika as well in addition to magical encounter with a troop of these humble creatures. Chimp trekking here is one of the most memorable experiences anyone on holiday in Tanzania shouldn’t miss out.

Chimpanzees share 98.7% of their DNA with humans and this is one commonest trait we have in come with these dramatic creatures. Meeting a habituated chimpanzee community is remarkably a special opportunity and Mahale National Park has sorted when it comes to chimpanzee safaris in Tanzania.

Mahale Mountains National Park is spectacular, stretching to cover an area of about 1600sq.kms with its elevation rising up-to 2400m. This montane park largely features mahogany, fig trees, evergreen vines at the lower slopes, bamboo to bushland. Besides chimpanzees, this park also supports other interesting wildlife including blue duikers, black and white colobus monkeys, yellow baboons, porcupines, squirrels, 2 kinds of mongooses, birds and impressive antelope families.

Mahale National Park also covers Lake Tanganyika, the second deepest lake on planet earth and also a home to over 250 fish species. Viewing chimpanzees in Mahale is a great pleasure regardless of the time you plan to travel to Tanzania for chimp trek safari.

Places to stay

If you are planning to go trek chimpanzees in Mahale, you can consider spending a night in anyone of the 3 lodges or at a campsite. They include Greystoke that straddles on the white sandy beach along the scenic shores of Lake Tanganyika. There is also Mbali Mbali Mahale the previously popular Kungwe Beach Lodge.

Accessing Mahale National Park

Note, Mahale Mountains National Park unlike other safari parks is reachable by boat or by air. Boat rides can be found from Kigoma in the North or you fly up-to the airstrip outside this protected area.

Gombe National Park

Gombe National Park is the smallest of all Tanzania’s parks with only 52sq.kms of land area. It shelters a section of East Africa’s chimpanzees that range along its steep slopes and river valleys at the Northern border along the shores of L. Tanganyika. It is from this park where Jane Goodall one of the greatest researchers began her research on chimpanzees’ behaviors in the 1960s.

Gombe National Park is 16kms North of Kigoma Town and it is set suitably in Western Tanzania. In addition to chimpanzees, this protected area also protects other primates and wildlife including the red-tailed monkeys, red colobus monkeys, olive baboons among others. Gombe like Mahale National Park is best reached by boat or by air using scheduled flights that connect Kigoma to Dar-es-salaam and Arusha.

Guidelines for chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania

• No drinking or eating in the presence of chimpanzees within 250m.
• Do not smoke before chimpanzees.
• Carry back all the food left overs and leave the forest clean.
• Use of flashlight cameras is highly prohibited on chimp trek in Tanzania.
• A maximum of 6 visitors are permitted to trek chimpanzees in Tanzania
• Only persons above 12 years are accepted to go for chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania.