Description: Mahale National Park is home to some of the last remaining wild chimpanzees: a population of roughly 800. Tracking the chimps is a fascinating experience.
It’s likely that you will observe them grooming each other in small groups, squabbling noisily, or bounding from tree to tree swinging on vines.
Watching a mother chimp with her offspring is truly remarkable. Difficult to reach and relatively expensive, Mahale has few visitors each year. And although chimpanzees are admittedly the main attraction, the park supports a diverse forest fauna, including troops of red colobus, red-tailed and blue monkeys, and a colorful array of forest birds.
You can also take a dip in the unbelievably clear waters of the world’s longest, second-deepest and least-polluted freshwater lake!
Location: Can only be reached by shared charter flight from Arusha. Combines well with a visit to Katavi National Park.
Things 2 Do: Chimpanzee Trekking, Hiking, Swimming/Snorkeling and Fishing
Time: Requires 3 or 4 night visit. Avoid Apr-May rainy season, though the November rains can be managed.
Animals: Chimpanzees, Red Colobus, Red-Tailed and Blue Monkeys and many colorful Birds.
Accommodations
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Mango Tree Park Bandas
“What an amazing family experience. From the moment Willy picked us up at the airport to the moment he dropped us off we felt right at home. It’s hard to put into words the experience because it was truly life changing. You’d expect that we would say seeing lions (and boy did Willy the lion whisperer know how to find lions!) was the highlight. Don’t get me wrong that was wild! But our connection with Willy and doing things like visiting an orphanage and going to his house for a typical African dinner were outstanding. To have a little glimmer of how people in another country and culture live is to forage a lasting connection. We cried when we had to part with Willy because he had become family to us”