Mahale Mountains National Park Tanzania

Mahale Mountains National Park for Tanzania Vacations

The Mahale Mountains is Tanzania's most remote National Park. Lying on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, these mountains rise up into the clouds and house a very specialist wildlife experience – walking with chimpanzees.

Located in the far West of Tanzania, Mahale National Park is a wonderfully remote destination. It is one of the most secluded locations where we operate safaris. Mahale Mountains National Park is most famous for its chimpanzee trekking, regarded as the finest chimpanzee-viewing on the planet. The park is home to approximately 800 to 1,000 wild chimpanzees split across approximately 12 separate communities, including the famous ‘M’ group. Mahale’s attractions, however, go much further than chimpanzees. The park's jungle-draped peaks drop down to a beautiful beach that lies on the edge of the crystal-clear Lake Tanganyika, the world's second-deepest lake.

Activities include trekking for the chimpanzees as well as boating, canoeing, fishing, swimming and simply relaxing. Mahale is also famous for Greystoke, the outstanding camp which makes the effort and cost of getting here so worthwhile. It is one of Africa’s most famous camps. Many experts consider the chimpanzee experience at Mahale to be the greatest wildlife experience in Africa.

What you need to know

Mahale’s main camps work on a three or four night stay. This is set in stone. If at all possible we recommend four nights here as Mahale will probably be the most amazing place you have ever visited –pushing the boat out sees money well spent. The second point is that even though Western Tanzania is often described as a place for safari enthusiasts only, we recommend this destination for all travellers. Mahale is a destination for first-time safari travellers as much as it is for old safari hands. The reason for the confusion is that people are basing their opinions on Katavi, the nearby National Park that is the mecca for safari aficionados. What we are trying to say here, is that Mahale is for everyone... a truly wonderful place.

Activities in Mahale Mountains

• trekking for the chimpanzees
• boating & canoeing
• fishing
• swimming
• simply relaxing.

Time of year to travel to Mahale Mountains

Mahale works in the same way as the dry-season parks – with chimpanzee viewing at its best from July through to October. The later in the year you travel, the closer to the base of the mountains the chimps are, making trekking easier. Mahale is shut throughout the rains of April and May but a good destination for the remainder of the year – albeit one that may involve some serious trekking to view the chimps as they move to higher ground.