Mahale Mountains National Park is situated on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in the Kigoma region of Tanzania. The park is unique because it’s one of the few places in the world where lions and chimpanzees coexist.
Mahale Mountain National Park was first gazetted as Mahale Mountains Wildlife Research Center in 1979 and later upgraded to a national park in 1985 to protect the chimpanzees inhabiting the region. The Holoholo and Batongwe people who used to inhabit the area were displaced from their ancestral lands.
Mahale Mountains National Park is one of only two national parks in Tanzania where chimpanzees are found. The park covers an area of 1,650 square kilometers and is characterized by miombo woodlands, savannah grasslands, alpine bamboo, and rainforests.
Wildlife Watching
Mahale Mountains National Park offers a thrilling wildlife viewing experience to travelers. In most other national parks, wildlife activities can be done by a game drive, hot air balloon safaris, guided nature walks, and sometimes by boat where rivers or lakes are found within the park. However, in Mahale Mountains National Park, there are no roads or infrastructure, so the only way tourists can explore it is by boat or on foot.
The park is home to about 800 chimpanzees living in the Mahale forest, and the main attraction and activity in the park is chimpanzee trekking. There is one habituated chimpanzee family known as the Mimirike clan in Mahale Mountains National Park, which was habituated in the 1960s by Japanese researchers.
Trekking to see chimpanzees in the park starts with a briefing from the park rangers. Visitors are then led into the rainforests by an armed ranger guide in search of chimpanzees. Once the family is found, visitors are given about an hour to observe and take photos of them in their natural habitat.
While with the chimpanzees, visitors must adhere to the rules and regulations, such as maintaining a safe distance, to protect both the environment and the wild chimpanzees.
There are also other wildlife species in the park apart from chimpanzees, including red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, warthogs, red colobus monkeys, yellow baboons, vervet monkeys, pied colobus monkeys, galagos, porcupines, mongooses, squirrels, and Angola colobus monkeys, to mention a few.
What to Carry
Chimpanzee trekking requires tourists to trek through the rainforests in search of chimpanzees. Sometimes the rainforests can be slippery and muddy, so tourists need to pack some items to prepare for tracking chimpanzees, such as waterproof hiking boots, plenty of drinking water, rain jackets, energy-giving snacks, insect repellents, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats, and other necessary items you might require.
Lake Tanganyika
Lake Tanganyika is the second deepest lake in the world and the world’s longest freshwater lake. Ninety-eight percent of Tanganyika’s cichlids are endemic to the lake, with 250 cichlids recorded. The lake also hosts over 80 species of cichlid fish, of which 60% are endemics. Lake Tanganyika is so crystal clear that you can see up to 20 meters below the surface. Of the over 350 species of fish discovered, there are still more being discovered in Lake Tanganyika.
Mount Nkungwe
Mount Nkungwe is the highest peak in Mahale Mountains National Park, rising to an elevation of 2,462 meters above sea level.
Bird Watching
Mahale Mountains National Park is a birder’s paradise, boasting 337 species of recorded birds. Some examples of birds found in the park include crested Guinea fowl, Orange thrush, white-browed robin chat, southern black flycatcher, browed scrub robin, sharpe’s robin, red-winged starling, wattled starling, mountain thrush babbler, African yellow white eye, African hill babbler, scaly francolin, crested francolin, African olive pigeon, red-eyed dove, scarce swift, white-browed coucal, Schalow’s turaco, great white pelican, goliath heron, long-tailed cormorant, African jacana, osprey, African harrier hawk, tawny eagle, common barn owl, southern ground hornbill, olive woodpecker, white-fronted bee-eater, broad-billed roller, African malachite kingfisher, red-necked falcon, mountain oriole, orange-breasted bush shrike, fork-tailed drongo, African paradise flycatcher, olive-bellied sunbird, variable sunbird, fan-tailed widowbird, red-headed bluebill, northern grey-headed sparrow, African wagtail, thick-billed canary, red-faced cisticola, bamboo warbler, slender-billed greenbul, common bulbul, tropical boubou, white-necked raven, pied crow, black-winged bishop, fantailed widowbird, black and white mannikin, and white-headed saw-wing, among others.
Fishing
Sport fishing is a common activity for tourists at Mahale Mountains National Park. Fishing is usually done with the help of an experienced and knowledgeable guide, and it’s normally done when the lake water is calm. All tourists intending to fish must obtain permits before fishing, and fish caught in the lake are returned after fishing. Visitors should bring their own fishing gear.
Cultural Encounters
The surrounding Holoholo and Batongwe people living around the park have very interesting cultures. Tourists can explore the local communities, learn about their way of life, and engage in their day-to-day activities. Visitors can also enjoy traditional music and dance or listen to their ancient stories about living in Mahale National Park.
Mountain Climbing
Tourists to Mahale Mountains National Park can climb Mahale Mountains peak. Hiking to the Nkungwe peak and descending takes about 2-3 days. The climb is very rewarding, as you come across several wildlife and bird species, not forgetting panoramic views of Lake Tanganyika below. Visitors intending to climb should bring their mountain climbing gear, including boots, sunscreen, water, sunglasses, insect repellents, and other items they might need.
Snorkeling and Swimming
Visitors can also enjoy swimming and snorkeling at Mahale Mountains National Park. Explore the underwater world of Lake Tanganyika and its marine life while at Mahale. Tourists are usually given a period of only an hour to snorkel.
Boat Cruise
One of the ways to enjoy your stay at Mahale Mountains National Park is by taking a launch boat cruise to enjoy the flora and fauna. The best time for taking a boat cruise is in the evening hours when you can witness fishermen going out to fish and also enjoy outstanding sunsets.
Kayaking
Kayaking is a thrilling experience you shouldn’t miss while at the park. However, this can only be done when the lake waters are calm.
Guided Nature Walks
Since tourists can explore Mahale Mountains National Park by boat, one of the best ways to explore the park’s flora and fauna is on foot with an experienced guide. You can take nature walks at the shores of Lake Tanganyika or on the forested slopes of Mahale Mountains.
When to Go
Mahale Mountains National Park can be visited all year round, but the best time for tracking chimpanzees is during the dry seasons of June to September and December to February when the weather is favorable for hiking in the rainforests, and vegetation is not thick, making it easy to spot chimpanzees.
Tourists can also visit during the wet season, although chimpanzees come closer due to the abundance of food all over the park, making it easy to spot them during tracking. However, heavy rains can easily fall at any time, and the trails may become slippery and muddy.
Where to Stay
Mahale Mountains National Park is remote; therefore, there are not many accommodation options to choose from compared to other safari destinations in Tanzania. Some of the places you can stay in are:
- Mbali Mbali Mahale Lodge
- Greystoke Mahale Camp
- Mahale Mango Bandas
- Kungwe Beach Lodge
- Kasiha Banda
- Nkungwe Tented Camp
How to Get There
Tourists can access Mahale Mountains National Park during the peak season through scheduled flights from Dar es Salaam and Arusha airports to Mahale Airstrip. Charter flights can also be arranged.
Alternatively, tourists can access the park from Kigoma by speedboats or local boats, which takes about 4 to 6 hours to reach Mahale. The MV ship Liemba also travels to the island twice a week, with a travel time of 10 hours from Kigoma.
Entry Fee
The entry fee to Mahale Mountains National Park is $80 for non-resident adults, $20 for non-resident children, while resident adults are charged $40, and resident children will pay $10. Entry fees to Tanzanian national parks are subject to change from time to time, so you must check with TANAPA before visiting the parks.
Tourists visiting Mahale Mountains National Park can also explore other national parks in the Kigoma region of Tanzania, including Katavi National Park, Gombe Stream National Park, and Saanane Island National Park. Gombe Stream National Park is one of the only two national parks in Tanzania where you can see chimpanzees. For tourists interested in a more wilderness experience and seeing the big five, they can visit national parks like Serengeti National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, and Tarangire National Park, to mention a few.
