4 Days Mahale Mountains Chimpanzee Trekking Safari
Tour Overview
Mahale Mountains National Park is one of the best places in Africa to see wild chimpanzees. There are no roads into the park — you arrive by light aircraft and boat, and stay on a white-sand beach on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, the longest freshwater lake in the world.
This short fly-in safari gives you two full days of chimpanzee trekking with an experienced park ranger and guide, following the habituated M-group community through the forest. Between treks there is time to swim, kayak or relax on the beach and watch the sunset over the Congo mountains.
Detailed Itinerary
After breakfast, transfer to Arusha Airport for your light-aircraft flight west across Tanzania to the Mahale airstrip (around 4–5 hours with stops). On arrival, board a traditional wooden dhow or motor boat for a scenic ride along the Lake Tanganyika shore to your beach camp at the foot of the mountains. Settle in, enjoy a swim in the crystal-clear lake and dinner under the stars.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Set off in the morning with your guide and park ranger to track the chimpanzees through the montane forest. Trackers go out early to locate the group, so walks can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours on steep, slippery trails. Once found, you spend up to one hour with the chimps — watching them groom, feed, call and play. Afternoon at leisure: swim, kayak or take a forest walk to a waterfall. Dinner and overnight at the lakeside camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
A second morning in the forest gives you another chance to see the chimpanzees, and often a completely different experience from the day before. Look out for red colobus, red-tailed monkeys and forest birds along the way. In the afternoon, go on a sunset dhow cruise or fishing trip on Lake Tanganyika. Dinner and overnight at the camp.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, take the boat back to the airstrip for your flight back to Arusha, arriving in the afternoon. Transfer to your hotel or onward connection. Ask us about adding a northern circuit safari or a Zanzibar beach stay.
Meals: Breakfast
Included
- All accommodations per itinerary
- All meals (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
- All park entrance fees, chimpanzee trekking fees and government taxes
- Light-aircraft flights as per itinerary (15 kg soft-bag limit)
- Boat transfers on Lake Tanganyika
- Professional English-speaking guide and park ranger
- Arusha airport and hotel transfers
Excluded
- International flights
- Beverages and alcohol
- Tips for guides, rangers, trackers and camp staff
- Single room supplement
- Personal expenses (visas, insurance, etc.)
- Face masks and personal trekking gear
- Holiday supplement Dec 20 – Jan 5
Gallery
Common Questions
You need moderate fitness. The trails in Mahale are steep and can be muddy, and the length of the walk depends on where the chimpanzees are that day. Our guides set a comfortable pace and you can turn back at any time.
The Mahale chimps have been studied since the 1960s and are well used to people. Park rules ask you to keep about 8 metres away and to wear a face mask during the one-hour visit, to protect the chimps from human illnesses.
Chimpanzee trekking is open to guests aged 12 and over. Younger children can enjoy the beach and lake activities while the rest of the group treks.
The dry season from July to October is best — the chimpanzees often come lower down the mountain and the trails are drier. Mahale lodges usually close during the heavy rains from mid-March to May.
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