Mahale National Park

Mahale

Nestled on the Lake Tanganyikan shoreline (in western Tanzania) this is one of the best places for up-close encounters with chimpanzees in the world. It’s also a beautiful place where green forested mountains cascade down to the lakeshore, crystal-clear waters lap against white sand coves and the mist-covered peak of Mount Nkungwe can be seen in the background. Besides the large chimp populations, the mountains are also home to other primates including yellow baboons and the red colobus. Spreading out from the shores of beautiful Lake Tanganyika, the mountainous terrain of the Mahale Mountain National Park is home to some of Africa’s last surviving wild chimps, and trekking in search of these endearing primates is one of the main attractions of the reserve.

Uniqueness

• While the park is home to over 900 chimpanzees, it is also home to a variety of other wildlife including leopards, blue duikers, red colobus monkeys, giant pangolins, lions, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, otters, and a variety of bird species.
• Other highlights include on-foot game safaris that take in the park’s diverse wildlife, hiking up the 2460-meter Mount Nkungwe – the highest of the Mahale mountain range’s six peaks – and fishing and snorkeling in Lake Tanganyika on the park’s western border.
• Greystoke Mahale sits on a pristine, white sandy beach overlooking the turquoise water of Lake Tanganyika, with the forested slopes of the 8000 ft of the Mahale Mountains rising behind.