Mahale Mountains National Park Chimpanzee tracking, Tanzania Wildlife Safari Tours
Nestled on the Lake Tanganyika shoreline with its forested mountains rising from the lakeshore, mesmerizing Mahale Mountains National Park boasts stunning scenery and close encounters with habituated chimpanzees. The mist-covered peak of Mount Nkungwe stands sentinel in the background and the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tanganyika lap against white-sand beaches.
Set among the spectacular, forested slopes of the Mahale Mountains, the Mahale Mountains National Park was created to protect the thousands of chimpanzees that inhabit the region. It is renowned for its fantastic sunsets over Lake Tanganyika, which makes it an essential stop for keen photographers and safari enthusiasts.
The park’s breathtaking array of habitats includes rainforest, grasslands, alpine bamboo, and woodlands; where some 50 species of animals have been recorded, predominant among these being representatives from various monkey and ape families, and over 90 unique species of fish swim in the clear waters of the lake.
Mahale Mountains National Park lies on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika in Uvinza District of Kigoma Region, Tanzania. Named after the Mahale Mountains range that is within its borders, the park has several unusual characteristics. First, it is one of only two protected areas for chimpanzees in the country. (The other is nearby Gombe Stream National Park made famous by the researcher Jane Goodall.)
Mahale Mountains National Park harbors the largest known population of eastern chimpanzees and due to its size and remoteness, the chimpanzees flourish. It is also a place where chimpanzees and lions co-exist. Another unusual feature of the park is that it is one of the very few in Africa that must be experienced by foot. There are no roads or other infrastructure within the park boundaries, and the only way in and out of the park is via boat on the lake.
The Mahale mountains were traditionally inhabited by the Batongwe and Holoholo peoples, with populations in 1987 of 22,000 and 12,500 respectively. When the Mahale Mountains Wildlife Research Center was established in 1979, the people were forcefully evicted from the mountains to make way for the park, which opened in 1985 despite the fact that the people had been highly attuned to the natural environment, living with virtually no impact on the ecology.
Mahale is best known for its dense population of primates. The chimpanzees are relaxed near people, which makes close encounters possible. Covering about 1,613km² of the Mahale Mountains, this national park is home to around 1,000 chimpanzees. Most significantly, one group of Mahale chimps – the Mimikire clan – has been habituated by researchers since 1965. Currently led by an impressive alpha male, Alofu, the M-group, as they are commonly known, has around 56 chimps. They go where they want and when they want but are relaxed near people, so it's possible to track and observe them from very close quarters. The holy grail for most visitors is the 60-strong Mimikere or ‘M’ group of chimpanzees, which has been studied by Japanese researchers for more than four decades. While the M group is well-habituated, finding our closest relatives can be a challenge. Be prepared for some sweaty, steep climbs through dense vegetation, but the final reward is well worth the trials and tribulations of getting there.
Depending on the season, chimpanzees are high in the mountains, or low and close to the shores of the lake so you don’t have to walk a long distance. Chimpanzees are very active and a walk through these forests can be tiring. Sometimes, you follow them through these dense forests. It’s therefore important to have a knowledgeable guide. After locating the group, the guides know in which direction to go.
You get to pass old mango trees and guava trees – the favorite fruit of the chimpanzee – planted by Japanese scientists to study the chimpanzees up close. Once close to the chimpanzees, the excitement grows for sure. The 10-meter barrier between you and the animals is strictly adhered to prevent accidents. It’s possible that the chimpanzees unexpectedly decide to come to you. During your stay, a chimpanzee permit is included each day. A walk can take a few hours to an entire day, where you can spend an hour with the chimpanzees. The permit is quite expensive, but certainly worth it. Truly, an experience for life!
Access to Mahale Mountains National Park:
It would be best if you flew from Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha Airport to Kigoma and then take a boat from Kigoma to Mahale, a scenic journey that takes around 4-5 hours, depending on the weather conditions.
Arrange and Book with Ultimate Wild Safaris for the Mahale Mountains National Park Safari Tour in Tanzania.
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