Mahale Mountains National Park
Welcome to Mahale Mountains National Park
The insider's travel guide to Mahale Mountains National ParkIn the very far west of Tanzania, the densely forested Mahale Mountains cascade down to the soft sand beaches and turquoise waters (with incredible snorkelling) of divine Lake Tanganyika.
This picture alone would make the Mahale Mountains an unforgettable destination but in truth people don’t come here merely for the beaches. Instead, they come for the chance to have a one on one encounter with our closest cousins; chimpanzees.
The chimps here are habituated to humans and seeing them up close in the wild is, in my opinion, the single best wildlife experience on this planet. Yep, it’s even better than seeing mountain gorillas.
But don’t worry, the hiking isn’t forgotten about. The chimps cover big distances so keeping up with them means a hefty hike is likely in order.
The Mahale Mountains National Park atlas
4 picks Places & Experiences You Won't Find Elsewhere-
Mahale is a remote and mountainous park set on the sandy banks of Lake Tanganyika in the far west of Tanzania. It is best known for its habituated chimpanzees, which can be tracked on foot on guided forest walks. Other primates include red colobus and vervet monkeys. The driest months (August to October) are the best time to trek through the forest. Chimp trekking and other guided walks can be organised from a scattering of lakeshore camps and lodges. These include one ‘barefoot luxury’ option, Greystoke Mahale, as well as a government-run cluster of affordable self-catering huts.
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Best safari camp for: Chimp tracking Arriving at Greystoke, you could be forgiven for thinking you've washed up on a jungle-swathed Indian Ocean island. This idyllic beach camp stands on Lake Tanganyika, a beautiful inland sea that ranks as the world's longest freshwater body, and reportedly the least polluted. Greystoke is the perfect base for tracking chimpanzees in Mahale Mountains – on two of my previous visits, these hirsute apes have actually walked through camp – and it also offers dhow trips out onto the lake. In common with Chada and Sand River, Greystoke is owned by Nomad Tanzania, a locally-based company that operates several of the country’s most alluring and exclusive bush camps
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Best safari lodge for: barefoot luxury One of my all time favourites, Mbali Mbali Mahale Lodge sits on a stunning beach on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, on the edge of Mahale Mountains National Park. This place is a real hidden gem, far from the crowds and bustle of northern Tanzania’s honeypots. The lodge comprises just ten thatched beach tents set on wooden platforms for incredible views over the lake. There's a real sense of wilderness here, but with all the comforts you need, including ensuite showers, and even Wi-Fi! The real highlight, though, is the wildlife. Mahale Mountains National Park is famous for its chimpanzees, but it's not just chimps! Keep your eyes peeled for monkeys, butterflies, and all sorts of birds as you hike through the forest. In the evenings, I like to unwind by the campfire with my fellow guests, listening to the sounds of the wilderness and gazing at the star-studded sky.
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Mahale Mountains ranks high among my favourite African national parks. Setting aside the issue of cost and accessibility, it is also probably my first choice chimp-trekking destination. One reason for this is the park’s idyllic location on Lake Tanganyika, below a stretch of Rift Valley escarpment capped by Mount Nkungwe, whose peak is around 1,700m higher than the sandy lakeshore beaches. Mahale also has a thrillingly remote feel. It is roughly 30 times larger than Gombe, yet its tourist infrastructure amounts to little more than a pair of luxury beachfront camps and one basic resthouse. And over several visits, I have always enjoyed excellent close-up encounters with members of the Mimikere community, which comprises 75 chimps and was habituated by Japanese researchers in the 1960s. Pros: Mahale differs from most chimp trekking destinations in that it caters mainly to fly-in visitors spending three or four nights in the park. Because of this, you can track on multiple days, and departure times are flexible, which greatly increases your chance of an intimate chimp encounter. Fly-in safaris to Mahale combine well with Katavi National Park, an equally untrammelled safari destination inhabited by plenty of elephant, buffalo, hippo and lion. Cons: Fly-in safaris to Mahale are costly. It is worth the investment if you can afford it, but the park is not well suited to independent or budget-conscious travellers.
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For chimp trekking
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Greystoke Mahale
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Mbali Mbali Mahale Lodge
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Remote & picturesque Mahale Mountains
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