Mahale Mountain National Park
Mahale Mountain National Park is home to some of the last remaining wild Chimpanzees in Africa. Mahale is located in Western Tanzania to the South of Kigoma town, it is bordering Lake Tanganyika the World’s longest, second deepest, and least polluted freshwater lake harboring an estimated 1000 fish species
The best time to visit Mahale Park
The dry season of May to October is the best month to visit the park. This is the best time when chimpanzees are likely to be seen in big groups, the sunshine illuminates the fish in the Lake and the beach is an inviting place to relax.
However, Mahale Mountains National Park is accessible all year round. It doesn’t mean that the rainy season is not a good time to visit, visitors can also be able to have unforgettable experiences in the park.
What will you expect to see in the park?
- Expect to see the Chimpanzees
- Expect to see the Chain of Mountains (Mahale range)
- Expect to see beaches along Lake Tanganyika which is the deepest lake in Tanzania.
- Expect to meet local fishermen and practice fishing in local style
- Expect to see the best sunset ever on the Lake horizon, enjoy the amazing view of the lake
- Expect to see the forest fauna and flora such as Angola colobus, red colobus, red-tailed and blue monkeys, forest bird species, alpine bamboo, montane rain forest, and many more attractions.
What to do in Mahale Park
- Visitors to this beautiful park will be able to do Chimp tracking. This is allowed for two days only.
- Visitors will have a Hiking experience to the Park’s highest point “Nkungwe” which is 8,069 feet held sacred by the local Tongwe people.
- Visitors to the park experience Camping safaris in the forest
- The park is ideal for Snorkeling
- Visitors can also do sports fishing and many more water sports activities
How to access the park?
Mahale is accessible by air, road, and boat. There are several flights, car, and boat options to suit most travelers, and chimps lovers just contact us for more discussion.
Direct flights to Mahale
This is the easiest way to reach Mahale. During the peak tourist season (June to October) the three tour operators with camps in Mahale schedule regular flights between the park and Arusha town. Between October and March flights arrive and leave twice each week. Between March, April, and the first half of May Camps close therefore there are no scheduled flights.
However, it is also possible for visitors to arrange their own charter flights. Tanzania has a large number of charter flight companies such as Air Excel, Northern Air, and Regional Air to mention a few. Private charters can be arranged from the major cities of Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam, Mwanza, or Zanzibar.
The airstrip at Mahale is suitable for light aircraft only with the capacity of up to 12 passengers.