Mahale Mountains | Chimpanzees | Tanzania, Mahale would want to stake its claim as one of the most exceptional and one-of-a-kind safari sites on the African continent. It is situated in the far west of the country on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, and it is home to the best chimpanzee viewing in all of Africa.

When you have been working in the industry for as long as we have, there are just a few locations in Africa that we would consider to be in the running for the positions of having the very greatest safaris on the continent. Schoeman’s Skeleton Coast Safaris, Serra Cafema, Chiawa, and Old Mondoro in the Lower Zambezi, Mwaleshi and Kutandala in North Luangwa, and Greystoke Mahale in Tanzania are some of the places that fall into this category.

The Tanzania safari experience that this secluded national park provides will leave you speechless. In addition, this park is home to one of the most stunning camps that can be found anywhere in Africa. In addition to being a destination for chimpanzees, Mahale is home to an outrageously beautiful beach with waves that are crystal blue. The park itself has a legitimate claim to being one of the most fascinating places to visit in Africa.

Mahale Mountains National Park

At Mahale, we have never had a customer request that they not view the chimps. Trekking for the chimps, on the other hand, might take anywhere from one hour to the entirety of a tough day, depending on the time of year that you travel. Due to the fact that the chimps are moving down the mountains in quest of food, the viewing becomes easier as the season progresses farther into the future. It is easiest and most convenient to view them between the months of August and October.

Chimpanzees, on the other hand, have their own brains; any estimates regarding the length of time it takes them to walk are just that: estimates. There is no doubt that you will only be allowed to spend one hour with the chimpanzees if you are successful in reaching them. There are a lot of other smaller monkey species to view, birdwatching is quite good, and hippos and crocodiles are constantly close by. Chimpanzees are the primary attraction, but there are lots of other primate species to see as well. You are quite fortunate to be able to see a leopard, as they frequently come to visit.

The Chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains

Despite the fact that chimpanzee trekking is the primary draw to Mahale, the park also provides a great deal of other attractions. It is a site that is both breathtakingly gorgeous and quite secluded. It is a breathtaking experience to simply be in this location and to take a stroll along the coast of Tanganyika. You can spend hours roaming through the forest, discovering other smaller primates and plenty of birds, or climbing down tiny pathways to locate secret waterfalls. For example, you can go kayaking, snorkeling, or fishing out on the lake.

Why you should visit the Mahale Mountains in Tanzania

The extended dry season, which begins in July and lasts until the end of October, is the ideal time to travel to Mahale. Chimpanzees can be observed at other times of the year as well; however, it might be necessary to venture a little bit further in order to do so. This combination of Greystoke Mahale and Katavi is one that should not be overlooked during the dry season. This is yet another wonderful national park that can be found in Western Tanzania.

It is home to enormous herds of buffalo and elephants that are even larger than those that can be seen in Ruaha. It is difficult to find an African safari that is as remote as the one that can be found in Western Tanzania at any other location on the continent. This is one of the reasons why Western Tanzania is so appealing. It is not as easy to enter Mahale as it is to enter the Selous, the Ngorongoro Crater, or the Serengeti. Additionally, flights from Arusha and Ruaha to Mahale do not depart on a daily basis.

The accommodations in the Mahale Mountains

By the time you have spent the significant amount of time and money it takes to come to Mahale, you might as well stay at the absolute best. Nomad’s Greystoke Mahale is renowned all over the world for both its location and the barefoot luxury it provides. Simply a short distance farther up the shore is where you’ll find the Nkungwe Lodge, which is the other alternative that we occasionally sell. Nkungwe is a more cost-effective alternative, and although it does not possess the same level of surprise as Greystoke, it has unquestionably progressed over the course of the past few years. If you feel that Greystoke is a little bit of a stretch for you, this is an excellent alternative to consider.

Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania

If you would like some further background information, you can read the Cadogan Guide to Tanzania and Zanzibar – Mahale Chapter, which was prepared by one of our directors, Annabel. While we are working hard to make our website as comprehensive as possible, if you would like some additional information, you can read it. It is possible that some of the information may be slightly out of date because the most recent version was released in 2005; but, in general, it is as comprehensive as they come.