Chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania – Primate Adventures in Tanzania

Although Tanzania is popular for its unrivaled wildlife viewing in Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Crater, this amazing country also offers an opportunity to witness chimpanzees on your visit. Chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania is less popular compared to its counterparts like; Wildebeest migration, Big Five viewing safaris, and game drives adventures however, trekking chimpanzees in Tanzania is an enriching experience that makes your Tanzania Safari Holiday tour even more exciting. Although generally Tanzania is less popular for primate adventures, the country is home to two National Parks that inhabit the chimps and grant tourists opportunities to embark on a chimpanzee trekking safaris in Tanzania. Chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania in an exciting adventure that takes you to two unique locations where you can trek chimpanzees in Tanzania; Mahale Mountains and Gombe stream National Park.

Chimpanzee tracking destinations in Tanzania – Where to go Chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania

1. Gombe Stream Nationa Reserve

Gombe Stream National Park is one of Tanzania’s smallest parks, covering a total land area of about 52 sq. km near the shores of Lake Tanganyika.  Gombe is located 16 km north of Kigoma on the shore of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania. This National Park is famous for the ground-breaking research by Jane Goodall who studied chimpanzees in this relatively small National Park. One of the major highlights of safaris to Gombe Stream National Park is Chimpanzee Tracking.

Although generally, Gombe stream isn’t a popular chimpanzee trekking destination in Africa, it hosts troops of habituated chimpanzees that you can trek during a Tanzania safari holiday tour. If you wish to experience these primates during your safari in Tanzania and would not like to fly to other popular chimpanzee trekking destinations in the neighboring Uganda and Rwanda, Gombe Stream National Park is an excellent option. There are up to 150 chimpanzees in Gombe and up to 82 different other wildlife species that you will encounter on Safaris to this National Park.

Besides chimpanzees, the National Park is also rich in other biodiversity and history. In the 1960’s, Goodall carried out major research conclusively the unique relationship between man and chimpanzee, as we share 95% of our genes with them (some people may share more than others!) and they have similar hearing, smells and other senses to humans. While tracking chimpanzees in Gombe, you will have an opportunity to appreciate her remarkable contribution to conservation and studies on chimpanzees.

If you wish to explore this adventure during your Tanzania Safari holiday, it is important to know that you will need to purchase a chimpanzee trekking permit. The Chimpanzee tracking permit for Tanzania’s Gombe National Park is a legal document that grants you access to the chimpanzee trekking premises. This permit costs around USD 100 per a person per a trek. While adventuring Gombe stream National Park, you will also encounter various other primates species including; olive baboons, colobus monkeys, and red tailed monkeys among others.

Other activities to do at Gombe National Park Besides chimpanzee trekking 

Besides Chimpanzee trekking in Gombe, there are also other interesting activities that you can combine with your primate adventure in Tanzania. Since this National Park lies just next to the shores of Lake Tanganyika, there are many water activities that you can combine with Chimpanzee trekking in Gombe National Park.

Snorkeling and Diving

Among the activities you can combine with a chimpanzee trekking experience in Gombe are snorkeling and diving in Lake Tanganyika. Lake Tanganyika is a great place for diving and snorkeling for those in love with water activities. The water temperatures are usually at 25 degrees Celsius all year-round, and visibility in the dry season goes as deep as 20 m, allowing for an exciting experience while on your adventure in Tanzania. The diving usually takes place around the lake shores, making it more easy for both beginners and seasoned divers.

Sundowners on Lake Tanganyika

The other popular experience here is climbing aboard a dhow (traditional boat) and joining the crowd of lantern-laden dug-out canoes heading out to fish for the evening. This experience offers you with a scenic and thrilling experience as you sail slowly on the Tanganyika waters, witnessing the sun go down. You  enjoy romantic sundowners and watch the sunset over the lake on a 1.5-hour tour during this experience.

Getting to Gombe  Stream National Park 

Fly into Tanzania through any of its international Airports including Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro National Park. If you are visiting Gombe stream National Park, flying into the country through Kilimanjaro International Airport is the best option.

After arriving in Tanzania, you can connect to Gombe Stream National Park by both air and road. From Arusha, take a flight to Kigoma Airport. There are different local airlines like Precision Air and Air Tanzania that offer flights to Kigoma.

From Kigoma, you will take a boat to reach Gombe Stream National Park. The boat ride to the park usually takes about 1 to 2 hours.

2. Mahale Mountains National Park – Chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania

A place where the lush, remote forests of Tanzania offer a rare and intimate encounter with one of our closest wild relatives, Chimpanzees, Mahale Mountains National Park is a superb destination for primate adventures in Tanzania. Mahale Mountains National Park is located in on the western shores of Lake Tanganyika, covering a total land area of about 1,613 square kilometers. Mahale Mountains National Park is popular for its excellent Chimpanzee Trekking in Tanzania. This National Park is home to Chimpanzee communities that are accustomed to human presences and can easily be trekked during a safari holiday to Tanzania.

Besides the chimpanzees, Mahale Mountains is also home to different primates species including red colobus and vervet monkeys. The National Park also boasts a variety of bird species including the colorful African fish eagle among others.

Adventures to Mahale Mountains are however popular for Chimpanzee Trekking in Tanzania. Many travelers who wish to track chimpanzees in Tanzania visit this National Park.

Chimpanzee Trekking in Mahale Mountains National Park 

Chimpanzee trekking in Mahale Mountains National Park is an eciting adventure experience that indulges you in a scenic environment to look for endangered chimpanzees. Just like in most chimpanzee trekking destinations, you need a chimpanzee trekking permit to trek chimpanzees at Mahale Mountains National Park. The chimpanzee permit in Mahale Mountains National Park costs about USD 150 per person per a trek. After arriving in Tanzania, you can either fly to Mahale or travel by road. Once in the National Park, you will be escorted by local experienced guides and trackers into the forests to search for chimpanzees. There are high chances of witnessing chimpanzees during your tour in Mahale Mountains.

After some time of trekking, you will finally located the chimpanzee in the wild. Enjoy viewing them as they go by their day. You will feel the sense of familiarity being our close relatives, you will witness them mimic human behaviors. After the trek, you will the return to the starting point.

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