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Mahale Mountains National Park

The is a park or wildlife reserve

You visit the Mahale Mountains National Park to meet some of Africa's last remaining wild chimpanzees.  There are roughly 1000 individuals, and they have been habituated to humans, so you are able to track them and sometimes get surprisingly close.

Mahale Mountains is on the edge of Tanzania's Lake Tanganyika.  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.

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 it by boat, so it really is a remote and little-visited spot.

Highlights

  • Superb place to see chimpanzees and other primates.
  • The varied habitat is home to other wildlife, including prolific birdlife.
  • Remote and little-visited.
  • Beautiful lakeside setting.
  • Excellent accommodation.

Situation

Mahale Mountains National Park is set in the West of Tanzania, 120 km south of Kigoma and is 1,613 sq km in size. Dominated by the Nkungwe peak and the other Mahale Mountains on one side and the clear blue waters of Lke Tanganyika on the other.

Activities

Chimp tracking, Forest walks, Snorkelling.

Health

This is a malarial area.

Best times to go

It is best to avoid the main rainy season (April and May).

Getting there

Shared and private charter flights are available to the national park.

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