Mahale National Park - Chimpanzee Viewing

The park like its northerly neighbor Gombe is home to some of the Africa’s last remaining wild chimpanzees, a population of roughly 900, they are habituated to human visitors by a Japanese research project founded in the 1960s Tracking the chimps of Mahale is a magical experience.

Mahale is located in the Western Tanzania to the South of Kigoma town, it is bordering Lake Tanganyika-the World’s longest, second deepest and least polluted freshwater lake-harbouring an estimated 1000 fish species.

Best time to visit the park
The dry season (May -October) is the best period. During this period, 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. A visit in the rainy season can also be a memorable experience, made remarkable by views of the neighboring country DR Congo across the water and by incredible lightning storms that light up the lake at night.

Tourist Attractions:

– The Chimpanzees
– Chain of Mountains (Mahale range)
– Forest fauna and flora (Angola colobus, red colobus, red-tailed and blue monkeys,
forest birds, alpine bamboo, montane rain forest etc).
– Beach along Lake Tanganyika
– Local fishermen
– Sun set on the Lake horizon

What to do:

– Chimp tracking (allow two days)
– Hiking to the Park’s highest point “Nkungwe” (8,069ft) held sacred by the local Tongwe people.
– Camping safaris
– Snorkeling
– Sports fishing and many more water sports activities

How to get there

1.By Air: Mahale can be reached by chartered flight from Kigoma.Dar es salaam,Mwanza, Arusha or any airport in Tanzania.

2. By boat: From Kigoma town it takes 3-4 hrs (by speed motorboat upon prior

arrangement with the park), or Twice per month Mv Liemba ferry from Kigoma

(8-10hrs) to Lagosa point then arrange a boat with the park to pick you to the park.

3. By road: From Kigoma to nearby villages through Simbo junction (4hrs) then arrange for boat pick up to the park which takes about half an hour cruising through the lake

Best time to visit

The park can be visited throughout a year; however, the best time is during the dry season (May – November) but can be visited also in wet season (December - April), however you will need additional gears such as rain coat and boot for trekking and walking safari.

Available activities

Chimpanzee Tracking

This activity is conducted from 06.30 to 18.30HRS.

Additional fees apart from the conservation fee

Category	Guiding fee per group (not exceeding 6 people)
Non- EAC citizens/expatriates	US $20
EAC citizens	TZS 5,000

Pre- briefing session at Kasoge forest before chimpanzees trekking

Walking safari – Short and long walking safari are normally conducted along the existing trails depending on tourist preference such as enjoying physical features, bathing in pools and waterfalls as well as hiking safari.

Additional fees apart from conservation fees:

Category	Long walk (above 4 hrs)		Short Walk (1- 4hrs)
Category	Adult	Child(>12yrs)	Adult	Child(>12yrs)
Non EAC Citizens/ TZ Expatriates	US $ 25	US $ 15	US $ 20	US $ 10
EAC Citizens	TZS 10,000	TZS 5,000	TZS 5,000	TZS 2,500

Short walking safari at Kasoge Forest

Walking safari guidelines

Kayaking: This is the activity that offers a visitor an experience to move across water by using kayak. The equipment is offered by tented camps for visitors interested to do kayaking and is always done during the day when the lake is calm.

Additional fees apart from conservation fees:

Category	Kayaking Fee
Non EAC Citizens/ Tz Expatriates	US $ 10
EAC Citizens	TZS 5,000

Kayaking

Spot fishing: This is a form of recreational activity where the primary goal is the challenge of finding and catching a remarkable size of fish for prestige. The best time to do sport fishing is at mid day and evening before sunset and when the lake is calm

Category	Sport Fishing fee
	Adult	Child
Non-EAC Citizens/TZ Expatriates	US $25	US$ 10
EAC Citizens	TZS 10,000	TZS 5,000

Sport Fishing

Scuber Diving

This is a mode of underwater diving in which a scuber diver uses a self- contained underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) to breath underwater, and this activity is conducted in lake show to give opportunity for visitors to view colored fish under the rock crevices.

Hiking: The hiking towards different peaks within Mahale Mountains National Park is a bit challenging but provides unique and opportunity to experience a diverse forest fauna and flora.

Mwesabantu point while hiking Nkungwe peak (2,462 m a.s.l)

Camping:

Mpira public Campsite: Located north of Kasiha Tourism Centre and approximately 7.5 km from the park headquarter. It can accommodate up to fifteen (15) people at time.

Sisindiko public Campsite: Located south of Kasiha Tourism Centre approximately 3.5km from mango house bandas. It can accommodate 20 people at a time.

Ng’anja public Campsite: Located south of Lubulungu River approx. 5.5km from Kasiha Tourism Centre. It can accommodate up to 20 visitors at one time

Additional fees apart from the conservation fees

Category	Public Campsite
Category	Adult	Child
Non EAC Citizens/ Tz Expatriates	US $ 30	US $ 5
EAC Citizens	TZS 5000	TZS 2,500

Insert pictures public campsite

Filming:

Filming fee: charged per person/day and covers conservation, camping and filming fees. This is applicable to all nationalities.

Fee for Filming

Category
Category
Non EAC Citizens/ Tz Expatriates	US $ 100
EAC Citizens	US $ 100

Filming guidelines

Main Tourist attractions (Main attractions)

1.Chimpanzees

These are species of Ape which is the most humanity’s closest living relatives. Research of wild chimpanzees teaches us ''man's place in nature'' and provides us with key information that is relevant to re-constructing the social life of early man. Long term field studies on chimpanzees revealed many important facts about them such as hunting, tool-using, medicinal use of plants, social intelligence and existence of culture. Mahale National Park has the highest remaining wild chimpanzee's population in Africa.

Nkungwe Peak: (2,462 m a.s.l)

This is the highest point in Mahale mountains range which bisects the park from NNW to SSE running about 50 km long. This area was held sacred by local Tongwe people. Hiking Nkungwe peak increases visitor’s satisfaction as the slopes supports diverse flora and fauna troops of red Colobus, red tailed and blue monkeys, black and white colubus monkey and colourful birds as well

Lake Tanganyika

Set about 770 meters above sea level, provides swimming opportunity in impossibly clear waters of the world's longest (720km), second deepest (1435m) and least polluted fresh water lake providing aquatic habitat to estimated more than 1000 species

Accommodation

Accommodation in the park includes five self- contained bandas (twin beds), luxury tented camps and camping sites both public and special campsites. Park bandas offers kitchen cooking facilities which requires visitors to come along foods

Park rules and regulations

Keep to the authorized trails.
Do not disturb wild animals in any way. Do not make noise.
Be considerate to fellow visitors – do not disturb them or the animals they are watching.
Do not take any pets or guns into the park.
Do not uproot, pick, cut or damage any plant or be in possession of any part of a plant indigenous to the park.
Do not light any fire or discard any burning object.
Do not discard any litter.
Between 7:00p.m and 6:00a.m. remain in the immediate vicinity of designated accommodation facilities (tented camps, tourist bandas, rest house or campsites).
A permit is valid for single entry within 24 hours only.