Mountains of the Moon

Mahale

Remote and breathtaking, Mahale Mountains National Park is one of the few places in the world where you can encounter chimpanzees in their natural habitat beside Lake Tanganyika.

Plan a Mahale safari

Type: National Park
Region: Western Tanzania, Lake Tanganyika
Best months: Jul–Oct
Known for: Chimpanzee trekking, Lake Tanganyika beaches

Overview

About Mahale

Mahale is revered as the best destination in Africa for chimpanzee trekking. The setting is dramatic: steep forested mountains plunging directly into the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tanganyika with no roads in sight.

Mahale Mountains National Park rises straight out of the clear waters of Lake Tanganyika, the longest freshwater lake in the world and one of the deepest. Forested slopes climb to Nkungwe Peak at about 2,460 m, and the shoreline has white-sand beaches with no roads in sight.

The park is home to one of the largest populations of wild chimpanzees in Tanzania. One community has been studied by researchers since the 1960s and is habituated to people, which makes chimp trekking here among the most rewarding in Africa.

Treks are on foot through the forest with expert trackers; once the chimps are found, you spend up to an hour watching them groom, play and feed. Afternoons are for swimming, kayaking and sunset boat trips on the lake.

Known for

Chimpanzee trekking
Lake Tanganyika beaches
Mountain rainforest
No roads, boat access only

At a glance

Type: National Park
Region: Western Tanzania, Lake Tanganyika
Size: About 1,613 km²
Established: 1985
Best months: Jul–Oct
By road: There are no roads into the park.
By air: Charter or seasonal scheduled flights from Arusha, often via Katavi, then about 1.5–2 hours by boat along the lake.

Inside the park

Areas of Mahale

Where you stay and explore shapes what you see. These are the main areas we plan around.

Lower forest

Where the habituated chimpanzee community is usually found, especially in the dry season.

Lake Tanganyika shore

Beaches, clear water and hundreds of species of colourful cichlid fish.

High mountains

Bamboo and montane forest on the way to Nkungwe Peak, reached on multi-day hikes.

Wildlife

What you can see in Mahale

Habituated chimpanzees, red colobus and other primates in mountain forest above a crystal-clear lake.

Primates

Chimpanzee
Red colobus
Red-tailed monkey
Blue monkey
Yellow baboon

Other wildlife

Leopard
Bushbuck
Hippo
Cichlid fish
Palm-nut vulture
Crowned eagle

When to go

The best time to visit Mahale

July to October, when the chimpanzees forage lower down the mountainsides, making trekking significantly easier.

JanQuieter / wet
FebQuieter / wet
MarQuieter / wet
AprQuieter / wet
MayGood
JunGood
JulPeak
AugPeak
SepPeak
OctPeak
NovGood
DecQuieter / wet

July – October

Dry season

Chimps often stay lower on the slopes, making treks shorter. Peak season.

November – April

Wet season

Treks can be longer and steeper; most camps close between about March and May.

Getting there

Travel and access

By road

There are no roads into the park.

By air

Charter or seasonal scheduled flights from Arusha, often via Katavi, then about 1.5–2 hours by boat along the lake.

Things to do

Activities

Chimpanzee trekking
Swimming and kayaking in Lake Tanganyika
Dhow and boat trips
Forest walks
Snorkelling among cichlids

Where to stay

Camps and lodges

We match each stay to your budget and the season, from classic tented camps to luxury lodges.

Lakeside camps

A small number of beach camps, reached only by boat.

A day here

After a steep, sweaty climb through the dense jungle, sitting quietly as entirely wild chimpanzees cascade down the trees around you is life-changing. Afternoons are spent swimming in the ancient lake.

Our travel tips

Treks involve steep, slippery forest paths. A reasonable level of fitness helps.
Masks are worn near the chimps to protect them from human illness.
Mahale pairs perfectly with Katavi: forest and lake, then wild savanna.

The Photographic Journal