The small and remote Mahale Mountains National Park is found in the very West of Tanzania and on the shoreline of Lake Tanganyika. Access is provided with two flights a week to the area and then you need to take a boat trip across the lake to reach the park. The journey is however well…
Park summary
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Size
613 sq km (623 sq miles)
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Distance
Distance from Arusha: to Kigoma it is roughly 1,020 km (633 miles)
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Best Time to Visit
Mahale Mountains National Park is accessible all year round. A visit in the rainy season can also be a memorable experience
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Descriptions
The small and remote Mahale Mountains National Park is found in the very West of Tanzania and on the shoreline of Lake Tanganyika. Access is provided with two flights a week to the area and then you need to take a boat trip across the lake to reach the park. The journey is however well worth it and incredibly rewarding as you get to explore one of Africa's most unique parks with just a handful of other visitors. The main attraction here are the treks to see the chimpanzees in the forest but there is a range of other activities for you to enjoy as well.
The park altitude rises from 773 meters at Lake Tanganyika to around 2462 meters at the top of the mountain range at Nkungwe Peak. Mahale National Park is 623 square kilometers, 30 times the size of Gombe Stream National Park. Mahale Park status encompasses the Mahale Mountain ranges, 63 kilometers of beautiful soft sandy beach and 1.6 kilometer wide of Lake Tanganyika.
Though it is well-known for chimpanzees and baboons, Mahale Mountains National Park has also savannah adapted species of East and South Africa, forest adapted species of West and Central Africa or Congo Basin animals. Among them are the giant squirrel, red-legged sun squirrel, brush-tailed porcupine, Angolan black and white-Colobus (which are regarded to be a new species in this area), Bushy-tailed mongoose, and sharp's grysbok. Besides the chimps, leopard, lion, kudu, eland, buffalo, roan and sable antelope, and a host of other game wander through this reserve.
Having more than 550 plant species, Mahale is rich in plants. Researchers believe that at least 1,000 flower plants are found within the national park boundary. The plant species have been a major influence for the life of chimpanzees, who utilize 328 food items from 198 plant species.
Some of these plants are used by chimpanzees as medicine and appetizers. Different birdlife like the red-collared widowbird, crested guinea fowl, Ross's Turaco, parrots, speckled mouse birds, Crown-eagles, bee-eaters and rollers have been recorded here. The best time for forest walks in Mahale is during the dry season (May to October). The light rains of October or November also present no real obstacle to visitors.
How to get there
The quickest way to reach Mahale is by air up to Kigoma town, then by boat to Kasoga in Mahale.
