Lake Tanganyika
Why go?
MAHALE MOUNTAINS
The Mahale Mountains on the shores of Lake Tangyanika are the home
to some of the last remaining wild chimpanzees in East Africa. All
game viewing is done on foot. Mahale is a unique ecological zone
with lowland forest, moist and dry savannah, miombo and open
woodlands. Animals range from elephant, buffalo, leopard and
primates to roan and sable antelopes, giraffe, kudu, eland, leopard
and lion.
Stay at Greystoke Camp
KATAVI NATIONAL PARK
Katavi National Park lies south of the Mahale Mountains on a flood
plain surrounding Lake Katavi. It is one of the most difficult
parks to reach and is strictly for those of an adventurous spirit,
but it has excellent game viewing with a real wilderness
atmosphere. The waters of the park shelter crocodile, hippo and
large flocks of pelicans. The diverse woodland, acacia bush, lakes
and swamps attract over 400 species of birds. Leopard, lion,
elephant, eland, roan, sable antelopes, southern reedbuck and topi
inhabit the short grasses and thickets. Katavi is also home to
Africa's largest herds of buffalo.
Stay at Chada Camp
GOMBE STREAM NATIONAL PARK
Gombe is the smallest of Tanzania's national parks, and known due
to Jane Goodall's research on the chimpanzees. Travel to the park
is by boat only from Ujiji or Kigoma. The forests are alive with
the famous chimpanzees, red colobus monkeys, red-tail and blue
monkeys. You can also spot bushbuck, bushpig and grey duiker. It is
also wonderful for bird-watching as its lake shore is home to the
pied and giant kingfishers, the crowned eagle, the African
broadbill, Ross's turaco and the trumpeter hornbill.