What is Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania best known for? The chimpanzees at Gombe Stream National Park are undoubtedly the main draw for Tanzania safari tourists. Gombe Stream National Park, which is located in western Tanzania on the edge of Lake Tanganyika in a fringe of tropical rainforest, is a dream location for chimpanzee safaris made possible by Jane Goodall’s work. Here, visitors can go on guided forest treks to observe the chimpanzees playing and interacting with one another.
In addition to being home to two additional chimpanzee families, Gombe Stream National Park is renowned for its 150 endangered chimpanzees that have become accustomed to living within the boundaries of the protected park, making it one of the top tourist Tanzania safari destinations in the area. Dr. Jane Goodall studied the Kasekela community of wild chimpanzees for more than 50 years during her research into primate behaviour, and these chimpanzees have been featured in numerous books and documentaries. You’re likely to get within a few metres of these amazing primates, so the sound of their instantly recognisable pant-hoot sounds adds to the excitement.
Gombe Stream National Park is home to a variety of Tanzania safari tours attractions, in addition to its well-known habituated chimpanzees. These include troops of beachcomber olive baboons, red colobus, red-tailed, blue, and vervet monkeys, as well as a known area of hybridization between red-tailed and blue monkeys. Along with approximately 200 bird species and 250 butterfly species, this wild area with verdant woodlands and unobstructed lake vistas is also home to the recognisable fish eagle and the jewel-like Peter’s twin spots, which tamely hop around the visitors’ centre. This little park is home to a variety of wildlife, including hippos on occasion, bush pigs, elephants, and different species of snakes.
Waterfalls
There are an average of two to three waterfalls in Gombe Stream National Park, with the most notable being the Kakombe waterfalls, which cascade hundreds of feet down lushly carpeted rock sides. The waterfalls are located on the heavily wooded escarpment of the Rift Valley.
Once dusk falls, hundreds of small wooden boats bob on the lake, resembling a sprawling city, their lanterns a brilliant contrast to the brilliant night sky.
How to Get there
Due to its remote location in Tanzania’s far western regions, Gombe Stream National Park is relatively difficult and expensive to get to. It is located 800 kilometres from Arusha and 1108 kilometres from Dar es Salaam by plane, making it relatively inaccessible. Nevertheless, there are two ways to get there: by boat, which is the quickest and easiest, or by plane.
The most convenient way to get to this park is by air. Depending on your itinerary, your tour operator will pick you up from Kilimanjaro International Airport in Arusha or Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, and they will arrange for your domestic flight to Kigoma town, which is close to the park. Regular domestic flights are available from Dar es Salaam or Arusha to Kigoma Airstrip, which is located in the Kigoma local town closest to the park. These flights are typically operated by various charter flight companies, such as Coastal Aviation or Safari Air Links.
Gombe Stream National Park is only accessible by boat from Kigoma Town; it is only 2O kilometres away. You will rent a private speedboat to enter the park, which adds to the charm of the entire Tanzania safari adventure experience. The boat ride takes less than an hour.
Alternatively, you can drive to the park from Dar es Salaam or Arusha. The drive from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma is 1374 kilometres via Dodoma and Tabora, taking approximately 20 hours. The drive from Arusha to Kigoma is also 1020 kilometres, connecting via Tabora, taking approximately 16 hours. Once in Kigoma, you will need to take a boat to access Gombe Stream National Park. Therefore, ground transportation may be challenging and time-consuming, making it less than ideal most of the time.
Accommodations in Gombe Stream National Park
Even though there isn’t much lodging in Gombe Stream National Park, what is available is of varying quality when it comes to Tanzania safari experiences. These factors include location, exclusivity, lodge or camp size, service, food, amenities, eco-awareness, surrounding wildlife, and relationships with local communities. There are very few lodging options in Gombe Stream National Park, divided into two key categories: budget accommodations for visitors who are focused on wildlife viewing and who are frugal and prefer to cut corners on services and lodging, and mid-range scaled camps with excellent standards of lodging and location but with less luxury and opulence, possibly with a slightly higher number of rooms and guests. Among these accommodations are;
Mbali Mbali Gombe lodge
Known by many as Gombe Forest Lodge, Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge is a cosy, mid-range lodging option in Gombe Stream National Park. It is located right off the shores of Lake Tanganyika, beneath the lush canopy of ancient forest trees, and offers stunning views of the lake’s deep blue waters and the orange-red sunsets that outline the Congo Mountains to the west. Even though it’s a tiny lodge—it can accommodate up to 14 guests at a time—it offers total seclusion with its seven Forest tents that may be configured as twin or double rooms.
The Jane Goodall Institute researchers have named the seven forest tents after their familiar chimpanzees. The tents are situated on wooden platforms beneath mango groves on the lakeshore, and each one is tastefully furnished to provide guests with every luxury while minimising disturbance and impact on the breathtaking environment.
Built upon an elevated wooden deck, the lounge/dining room features a huge raised porch in front. It is decorated with African antiques and sofas, as well as sun loungers and umbrellas for use on the beach, jetty to the lake, fishing, swimming, snorkelling, chimpanzee trekking, and boat safaris. You can eat indoors or outside along the ocean. While chimpanzee trekking is open to people of all ages, Tanzanian National Parks regulations stipulate that participants must be at least 15 years old.
Gombe Bandas
Gombe Bandas is a low-cost, government-owned rest lodge that offers self-catering accommodations for backpackers and other industrious, budget-conscious travellers on primate Tanzania safaris in Gombe Stream National Park. There are eight very simple, compact rooms in the bandas, each with a single or twin bed, a bedside table, communal dining and lounging areas, and shared baths and toilets.
Experience the amazing Gombe Stream National Park’s chimpanzees and natural surroundings first hand by going on hikes to see the primates and birds, exploring the lake in a kayak, or enjoying sundowners over a beachside campfire to unwind after a long day of Tanzania safari trips.
