This is an amazing place to see some of Africa's last remaining wild chimpanzees. There are roughly 1000 individuals, some of which have been habituated to humans, so you are able to track them and sometimes get surprisingly close. A permanent research centre was set up here is 1965 as an extension of Jane Goodall's research work north at Gombe Stream.
Mahale Mountains is on the edge of Lake Tanganyika - the deepest of the rift valley lakes. As the name suggests, it is a mountainous region of rainforest. The main peak is Nkungwe (2,462m), and the range of altitude within the park means that a good number of species are found here. This was one of the last regions of East Africa to be explored by Europeans, first being mentioned around 1877.
Apart from the all-important chimpanzees there are eight other primate species, such as red colobus monkeys. You can also find leopard, warthog, and brush-tailed porcupines. The prolific birdlife includes the Crowned Eagle, Scaly Francolin, Crested Guinea Fowl, and Ross's Turaco.
You can only access Mahale by boat, so it really is a remote and little-visited spot. Apart from the forest, the lake is worth visiting in it's own right. Enjoy the clear waters and sandy beaches which feels like a jungle clad remote paradise!
