Mahale Mountains National Park

Mahale contains at least world’s largest protected population (approx. 700-1000) of the eastern subspecies of Chimpanzee. The area contains at least 337 birds species , many of which are rare and endemic to the Albertine Rift. Eg Pel’s fishing owl.

One of the unusual things about mahale is the wide variety of habitat types that it contains. The park is a mosaic of overlapping rainforest, woodland, bamboo forest, Montane forest and mountain grasslands, meaning that mahale can support a unique mix of flora and fauna that rely on the various different habitats.

Mahale contains 8 (Possibly 9) primates in addition to chimps; these are yellow baboons, blue monkeys, red colobus, pied colobus, and vervet monkeys two or three species of Galago.

Lake Tanganyika, which is part of Mahale, is both the world second longest and second deepest freshwater lake being 673 in length and 60-80km in width.

The fresh water fish fauna of lake Tanganyika is one of the most diverse in the world. The Lake is home to at least 400 species of fish, about 250 of which are cichlids, and 98% of which are endemic (the occur nowhere else on earth)

Gombe National Park

It is a thin strip of ancient forest set in mountainous cut with steep valleys clinging to the shores of Lake Tanganyika. The park major attraction is obviously the Chimpanzees that live protected within its boundaries.

Tourist to this area will be able to do chimpanzee trekking, hiking and go to the waterfall and guided walk in the forest or along the lakeshore The park is dominated by many steep sided ridges and valleys. This is where you will be on foot if you have come to see the chimpanzees. The scenery of Gombe is stunning with most of the 16 major valleys containing swift steams, which flow all year.

In this park you can meet the stars of the world famous chimpanzee community. Jane Goodall’s pioneering chimpanzee research began in 1960. The Gombe Chimps are one of the most closely and continuously studied populations. Sharing more than 98 percent of our genes, it’s a look of recognition from our closest animal relative.

The majority of the mammals in this National Park are primates, most of them forest species. Likely to be seen, in addition to the famous chimpanzees are the colorful red-tail and blue monkeys.