Gombe stream national park is one of Tanzania’s smallest national parks covering an area of about 35 square kilometers located on the Eastern bank of Lake Tanganyika. The park is located in Kigoma region in Tanzania and it is famous for hosting chimpanzees. Gombe stream national park is mainly formed by open grasslands and tropical vegetation which work as habitat for wildlife.
Gombe stream national park can be accessed by boat it is also known as the site for Jane Goodall behavioral research center on chimpanzees. Gombe national park is famous for hosting a number of other primates apart from chimpanzees. Other primates that thrive in the park include; olive baboons, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys among others. The park is a home to hippopotami, bush pigs, leopards, over 90 different colorful cichlid fish with over 200 recorded bird species with examples being; fish eagles, crowned eagles, long crested eagles, palm-nut vultures, Ross’s turacos, trumpeter hornbill, pied kingfisher, malachite kingfisher, African darter, Peter’s twin spot, double toothed barbet, Schalow’s turaco, Livingstone’s turacos to mention but a few.
What Activities can be done in Gombe Stream National Park?
Chimpanzee trekking: Gombe stream national park is famous for hosting chimpanzees and the main tourist attraction is chimpanzee trekking. There are many habituated chimpanzee groups ready for trekking, you will have a chance to come close to chimpanzees and learn more about human relatives. Chimpanzees possess 98% of human DNA. On your chimpanzee trekking experience in the park, you will come across other primates especially baboons, reptiles, bush pigs, elephants, there is also a growing practice where blue monkeys and red-tailed monkeys are seen hybridizing.
Birding Expedition: Bird watching expedition is one of the best activities while in Gombe national park. The park has a recorded number of bird species to be 200 and seeing them on the visit is an amazing experience. You will have an encounter with East African dwellers and species from West African forests. Some of the birds you will come across in the park include; African
broad bills, double-toothed barbet, black saw-wing, crowned eagles, Kenya rufous sparrow, turacos, Peter’s Twinspot, red-capped robin chats among others.
Boat cruise in Gombe National Park: The boat cruise is always done on Lake Tanganyika. This boat cruise will expose you to aquatic life and breathtaking views, white sand and sunset views of the lake. You will spot crocodiles, and hippopotami, birds will be on the sandbanks as you enjoy fascinating pictures.
Hiking: Indulge yourself in this rewarding experience which will not only expose you to the wildlife and breathtaking sceneries, but also test your maneuvering abilities. Hiking safaris in Gombe national park will bring you closer to greener vegetation that are fused with wildlife for example elephants, monkeys, baboons, chimpanzees, birds among others. You will be with an experienced ranger guide who will take you to the amazing viewpoints that are famous for picturesque moments.
Sport Fishing: Engage in this fascinating activity where you will be catching fish and releasing them on Lake Tanganyika. You will have an opportunity to catch the fish and then take it to the lodge for dinner, such a feeling is so fascinating.
How to get to Gombe Stream National Park?
You can only access Gombe national park by boating a boat from Kigoma town and it will take you about 40minutes to get to the park. You may also hire a private charter to the park or get a domestic flight to Kigoma Airstrip and then arrange for a boat to the park.
What is the best time to visit Gombe Stream National Park?
You can visit Gombe national park throughout the year however the best time to visit the park is between July and October and December to January, this is when the vegetation is short, animals gather around water sources and you can easily track them. The main safari highlight to Gombe national park is chimpanzees and you can easily find them between February and June since it is a wet season and they cannot go very far. For birders and photographers, the best time to visit the park is wet season, however to catch crispy shots, you need to visit during dry season.
