Western Circuit · Chimpanzee Trekking
Where the Mountains Fall Into the Lake
Mahale is the most remote park we send people to, and quite possibly the most beautiful. Forested peaks rise straight out of Lake Tanganyika to 2,462 m at Nkungwe, and there is no road in — you arrive by light aircraft and then by boat along the shore.
Around a thousand wild chimpanzees live in these forests, and the habituated M-group has been studied by Japanese researchers since the 1960s. Tracking them through steep jungle is hard work, and being sat among them afterwards is worth every step.
- Around 1,000 wild chimpanzees, with a habituated study group
- Forested peaks rising to 2,462 m straight from the lake
- Snorkelling in some of the clearest freshwater on earth
- No roads and no vehicles — access is by boat and on foot
Good to Know
Mahale Mountains at a Glance
Wildlife You May Spot
Best Time to Visit
May to October in the dry season, when chimps stay lower down and the trails are passable.
Size
About 1,613 km² along the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika.
Chimpanzees
Home to roughly 1,000 chimps; the M-group has been studied continuously since the 1960s.
Getting There
Charter flight from Arusha or Dar to Mahale airstrip, then 1–2 hours by boat.
- Chimpanzee
- Red Colobus
- Blue Monkey
- Yellow Baboon
- Bushpig
- Leopard
- Cichlid Fish
- Otter
- Forest Birds
- Butterflies
Things to Do
Trekking and the Lake
Mornings are for chimp tracking, which can take anywhere from twenty minutes to five hours. Afternoons belong to the lake — some of the clearest, warmest freshwater anywhere.
- Guided chimpanzee trekking with park rangers
- Snorkelling and kayaking over the cichlid reefs
- Forest hikes and the climb toward Nkungwe Peak
- Sunset dhow cruises on Lake Tanganyika
Orientation
Where Mahale Sits
Mahale lies in the far west of the country, on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika — a long way from the northern circuit parks most visitors know. There are no roads in and no roads out: you arrive by light aircraft, then transfer by boat along the shoreline to camp.
The Wildest Place We Go
Mahale takes planning and it is worth all of it. Talk to us about timing and flights.