Guide to visiting Mahale Mountains National Park 2025 : If you’re truly interested in exploring the undulated wild destination in Tanzania which such significant representation of the few magnificent remaining great primates known as chimpanzees, Mahale Mountains National Park is an ideal place to visit as one can conduct different activities such as chimpanzee tracking, boat cruise, hiking and birding among other.
Mahale Mountains National Park was officially established as a national park in 1985 with the main purpose of protecting all the wildlife species. This national park is located along the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika in Kigoma region in Uvinza district in Tanzania. Mahale Mountains National Park is known to have been named after the Mahale Mountains with are found within the borders of the park and it covers a total surface area of about 1,650 square kilometers being under the management of Tanzania National parks Authority which is known to be an organization that is responsible for conserving and protecting all the game parks in the country hence fighting against poaching activities.
Best safari activities to in Mahale Mountains National Park
Chimpanzee Tracking
Chimpanzee Tracking is one of the adventurous activities offered to tourist while on a Tanzania safari in Mahale Mountains National Park. The park is home to over 900 wild chimpanzees, Mahale Mountains National Park is renowned for its population of Africa’s remaining wild chimpanzees. This offered visitors with the chance to trek to observe these incredible creatures in their natural habitat. Chimpanzee tracking in the park involves trekking through the lush montane forest of Mahale Mountains to search for these creatures in their natural habitat. The thrill of encountering a troop of chimpanzees, witnessing their social interaction and observing their daily activities in both exhalating and enriching.
Chimpanzee trekking in Mahale Mountains starts as like nay other chimpanzees tracking destinations in the morning with briefing about the dos and don’ts while on the forest. After you will be allocated an armed guide who will lead you through the forest, providing you with insights of other wildlife species. Upon encountering with these creatures, you will have the chance to see them swinging through the trees, grooming each other, playing, breastfeeding and feeding among others, this is amazing experience that stays with you for long.
Boat cruise
Taking a boat cruise on Lake Tanganyika is an amazing way to see the beautiful scenery around Mahale Mountain National Park. Lake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake. It is the second-largest freshwater lake by volume and the second deepest in Africa. Boat cruise here offers you with the chance to see the gorgeous views of the mountains and enjoy the peacefulness. You can go kayaking or take a motorboat to explore the pretty bays and secret beaches. While you’re out on the water, you might see animals like hippos, crocodiles, and lots of different birds like herons and kingfishers. The lake is also home to unique fish, like the colorful cichlids, giving you a glimpse into a special underwater world.
Hiking tour
Mahale Mountains is a fantastic place for a hike, mixing exciting outdoor activity with amazing views. One of the best hikes in the park is hike to the summit of Mount Nkungwe 2,500 meters, which is the park’s brooding peak and a place of the spiritual significance of the Tongwe people who once lived in the mountain, rewards intrepid hiking lovers with a wealth of animals and birdlife with amazing scenic views. Hiking Mount Nkungwe takes about 2-3 days to complete the hike. While at the summit, you’ll be rewarded with a clear view of beaches around Lake Tanganyika as well as different wildlife species roaming in the park’s landscape.
Birdwatching tour
The forested Mahale Mountains and lake shorelines attribute to opportunities for bird watching which is also among the attractive. The park’s diverse habitats are home to over 350 different bird species. Bird watching tours is done especially in the forests nearby the main lodge area which are usually frequented with a huge number of bird species. During your birdwatching tour, you’ll have the opportunity to sight birds such as , 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 and African paradise flycatcher among others
Walking safari
Visitors enjoy walking safari in the beautiful, forest-covered hills of Mahale Mountains National Park. These walks are very exciting, offering amazing things to see, as you follow the chimpanzees’ calls and listen to the many different birds singing.
What is the best time to visit Mahale Mountains National Park
To experience Mahale Mountains National Park at its finest, plan your Tanzania safari between June to October, when its dry season. This means less rains, making it simple to walk around the forest and have a chance to see chimpanzees in their natural habitat. This time f the year is also when the chimps are most active and easiest to spot. You’ll have a great chance to watch them search for food and hung out with their families.
Besides the great chimps viewing, the dry season means sunny skies and good weather, which is fantastic for enjoying the park’s scenery. You can really experience the beauty, from the green forest to clear eaters of Lake Tanganyika.
For bird lovers, the best time to embark on a safari activity is during the months of November to April. During these months, you can see resident birds in their breeding plumage, as well as palearctic and intra-African migrants. From March to April, the rains can make birding difficult because forest trails become slippery.
Park rules and regulations
- Stick to the paths that are meant for walking.
- Do not disturb wild animals in any way. Do not make noise.
- Be nice to other people visiting, do not disrupt them or scare away the wildlife they may be watching.
- No pets or weapons like guns are allowed in side the park.
- Do not take or damage any of the plants.
- Do not light any fire or discard any burning object.
- Keep the park clean by throwing away your trash to the responsible place.
- The park is open for tourism activities from 7.00p.m and 6.00a.m remain in the immediate vicinity of designated accommodation facilities (tented camps, tourist bandas, rest house or campsites).
- Your entrance pass only lets you in, once within 24 hours period.
- When near the chimps, please remember to keep your voices low. This will also help you to observe the other wonderful and varied wildlife of the Mahale Forest.
- Do not point at the chimps or make any sudden movements.
- Avoid direct eye contact with them because they may perceive this as aggressive or threatening behaviour.
- Keep a safe distance of about 10 meters away from the chimpanzees
- Turn off your camera flash because it can bother the chimpanzees.
How to get Mahale Mountains National Park
To get to Mahale Mountains National Park, you’ll need to plan a trip with several parts. First, you’ll fly into Tanzania, landing at either Dar es Salaam (DAR) or near Arusha (JRO). From there, you’ll take a shorter flight to Kigoma Airport (TKQ), which is the closest airport to the park. Once in Kigoma, you can travel to the park either by boat or by road. The boat trip, which is the most common and enjoyable choice, offers beautiful views across Lake Tanganyika and takes about 1.5 to 3 hours. If you choose to go by road, it will take longer and the roads can be difficult, but it’s a possible option.
Best accommodation options to stay while on a Tanzania safari in Mahale Mountains National Park
There are different types of Accommodation in Mahale Mountains National Park and these accommodations are ranged from luxury, mid-range to budget level. Such as Grey stoke Mahale Camp, Mbali Mbali Mahale camp, Mahale Mango tree Bandas and Mahele Classic Lodge among others.
