National Park
Mahale Mountains National Park
Mahale Mountains National Park- Where mountains meet the spirit of the wild.
On the remote eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika, the Mahale Mountains rise in a misty emerald sweep a hidden paradise where forest, lake, and sky converge in perfect harmony. Deep within its lush jungles, families of wild chimpanzees roam freely, their laughter echoing through the trees as they swing from vine to vine. Pristine beaches line the lake’s edge, where turquoise waters shimmer under the watchful gaze of towering peaks. Accessible only by boat, Mahale feels like a forgotten world pure, untouched, and profoundly alive.
- Best Time to Visit: June–October (Dry season) – Ideal for chimpanzee tracking and clear mountain hikes.
- Fun Fact: Mahale is one of the few places on Earth where chimpanzees and lions coexist a rare meeting of forest and savannah worlds in one breathtaking park.
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.
Climate
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.
Getting there
The park can be accessed throughout the year by road, water and air.
Road: From Kigoma town the park can be accessed by road 128km (5hrs drive) south, the road running south-east of Lake Tanganyika shore
Air: Using charted flight (Zantas air, Coastal aviation, Air Excel and safari air link) from all major cities and towns.
Water: can also 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.
Park Attractions
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
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. Chimp trekking
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
Lake Tanganyika
This longest and deepest lake in the world with magnificent views of the shores provides a unique visitors experience especially when carrying snorkelling or resting on the shores while watching aquatic birds and at sundown the red sky taking a thousand words.
Sand Beaches
The shores of Lake Tanganyika have beautiful unspoiled beaches
Mahale Mountain
It takes about 5hours to reach the top and during the hike one can spot different wildlife which makes your journey unforgettable.
Ujiji Historical site
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, which 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 Livingstone met Stanley in 1871, a monument known as Dr. Livingstone 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 is relatively calm, visitors may enjoy the romantic site of softly lit lake.
Tourism Activities
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.
Walking safari
Mahale is not just about chimpanzee-trekking; it offers the perfect balance of wildlife viewing where animals like roan and sable antelope and mongoose are easily seen and 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 for visitors.
Boat cruising
This activity enables visitors to get a chance to view the 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.
Sport fishing
This thrilling recreational activity is conducted in Lake Tanganyika, in which there is great possibility of getting a big catch.
Mountain hiking
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.
Other Tourism Activities
Other tourism activities offered by the park include camping safaris, (wilderness and fly camping along the beaches), snorkeling, diving, kayaking and bird watching.
Accommodation Facilities
in the park, there are various available accommodations ranging from TANAPA owned to private owned accommodations. TANAPA owns picnic sites, public campsites, special campsites and Bandas. There also Private Owned Facilities, two operating luxury tented camp namely, GREYSTOKE CAMP with a capacity of 14 beds and is the oldest camp in the park, owned by Nomad Tanzania Limited and KUNGWE BEACH PERMANENT CAMP with a capacity of 20 beds owned by Kigoma Hilltop Lodges and Safaris.
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