Welcome to Mahale Mountains National Park
On the shores of Lake Tanganyika, the oldest and deepest lakes in the world lies a pristine and remote park; the Mahale National Park which holds and protect the largest known population of chimpanzees, the jungle and the mountains. Visiting the park is a gratifying experience as you have a chance to carry game drive, chimp-trekking, hiking, snorkeling and bird watching.
The establishment of this Park was a reflection of the government commitment to preserving the chimpanzee population as well as an emulation of the efforts by Japanese researchers who pioneered to conduct research on primates including chimpanzees.
Climate
The park experiences two rainy seasons, the short rains (mid October-November) and heavy rains (March to mid may) with an annual range of 1,500 – 2,500mm. The park is located at an altitude between 750 and 2,250 meters.
Getting There
The park can be accessed throughout the year by road, water and air.
Road: From Kigoma town the park can be accessed by road 128km (5hrs drive) south, the road running south-east of Lake Tanganyika shore
Air: Using charted flight (Zantas air, Coastal aviation, Air Excel and safari air link) from all major cities and towns
Water: Also can be reached by ship (9-10hrs cruise) via Lake Tanganyika to Lagosa point and then by using boat with 30 minutes cruise to the park. Also there is a public transport at Rukoma village or Mgambo village where you can hire a local boat or arrange with park for boat pick up, or public transport to Park Headquarter.