Overview
Mahale Mountains National Park is one of the most extraordinary and remote destinations in all of Africa. Located on the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania, this 1,613 square kilometer park protects a population of approximately 800 wild chimpanzees across the forested slopes of the Mahale mountain range, which rises to 2,462 meters above the lake. Chimpanzee tracking in Mahale is a profoundly moving experience. The M-group, a community of roughly 60 habituated chimpanzees, can be tracked on foot through the forest with experienced guides. Unlike gorilla trekking, which is limited to one hour, chimp encounters in Mahale can be more extended and intimate, as these highly social primates go about their daily lives in the canopy above and on the forest floor around you. Hearing the forest erupt with the pant-hoot calls of a chimpanzee community is unforgettable. Beyond chimpanzees, Mahale supports a rich diversity of primates including red colobus monkey, red-tailed monkey, and blue monkey. The forests are home to bushbuck, blue duiker, and bush pig, while the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tanganyika harbor over 1,000 species of fish, many found nowhere else on Earth. The lake itself is magnificent, stretching 673 kilometers in length and plunging to nearly 1,500 meters in depth. Access to Mahale is by light aircraft to a nearby airstrip followed by a boat transfer along the lakeshore. There are no roads in the park, adding to its sense of pristine wilderness. The handful of camps and lodges on the lakeshore offer a unique combination of forest trekking and beach relaxation that is unlike any other safari destination in Africa.
