The Mahale Mountains lie deep within the Great Rift Valley, in the remote and hard-to-reach western part of Tanzania. This region offers habitat for a good population of chimpanzees. The Mahale Mountains are famous for their amazing sunsets over the stunning Lake Tanganyika and Eastern Zaire.

The environment comprises rainforests on steeper mountain slopes, woodlands, alpine regions, and grasslands.

This small park, located halfway up Lake Tanganyika and just below Gombe-Stream National Park, is among the least traveled parks in Tanzania. Although it lacks roads and is smaller than other parks in Tanzania, it offers a lifetime experience as you explore this mesmerizing area.

Lake Tanganyika is fantastic for snorkeling and boasts ninety cichlid species, plus community and village walking tours that offer amazing photography opportunities. Apart from the chimpanzees and yellow baboons, the area is also home to numerous monkeys like the red-tailed and Sykes monkeys. Additionally, both black-and-white and red colobus monkeys are commonly seen swinging from tree to tree, moving through the forest, and calling out to each other, creating an evocative echo through the lush greenery. Oh, what a memorable experience!

The area is isolated and a common way to access it is by flying. Rail services across the country towards the lake region are not very dependable and are quite slow. Accommodation options here are basic, with a few expensive alternatives for those seeking luxury. Fortunately, several tour operators in Tanzania offer tours in this area and have their private tented camps.

Although the nearby Gombe Stream National Park is more well-known, the Mahale Mountains offer more spectacular views of chimpanzees, as they tend to spend more time within Mahale.

Watching chimpanzees in their lush, natural environment is an incredibly amazing experience. Despite the region’s isolation, going on a chimpanzee safari to Mahale Mountains National Park is worth the effort.

The hikes to the chimpanzees’ habitation areas are accessible and not overly strenuous. However, being in good physical condition will make hiking much easier. This encounter promises to be a lifetime experience. Although the Mahale Mountains are somewhat remote, they will surely become an unforgettable African destination for you.

How to Get to the Mahale Mountains

The main and easy way to reach the Mahale Mountains is to board a charter flight from the towns of Arusha, Kigoma, or Dar Es Salaam. You can travel privately or using a motorboat from Kigoma town and it will take around 3 to 4 hours.

There is also a weekly steamer that runs from Kigoma and it takes 7 hours, from there you can hire a traditional fishing boat or organize with Park Head Quarters to be picked up in the park boat, and this will go for one to two hours.

For those who are planning to explore Tanzania on self-drive it will be hard for you to visit Mahale Mountains because most car rental companies don’t allow taking their vehicles to this destination because of the bad roads.

What to do Mahale Mountains

There is a variety of activities to enjoy in the Mahale Mountains and the most common ones are chimp tracking best done in two days, hiking, camping safaris, snorkeling, and sport fishing.

When to go to the Mahale Mountains

The best time to visit is the Dry season from May to October because it’s a perfect time for forest walks and other activities. However, during October and November, the area experiences some slight rains.

Where to stay Mahale Mountains

There are 3 seasonal luxury-tented camps, a large campsite plus two small rest-houses.