Mahale mountains national park is a fascinating national park situated in the western part of the country south of Kigoma town along the remote shores of Lake Tanganyika. The park was gazetted as a research camp in 1965 and later in 1985 it was established as a national park. Mahale mountains national park attained its name from Mahale ranges which form the park and the ancient people who settled in these areas were Holoholo and Batongwe people, however they were later shifted and resettled outside the park. The park covers an area of about 1613 square kilometers.
The main attraction in the park are chimpanzees which dwell in the forested rangelands with over 1,000 individuals, Mahale national park is a second is a second place in Tanzania where you can track the endangered chimpanzees apart from Gombe stream national park, the park also accommodates other wildlife that roam for example; blue monkeys, vervet monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, yellow baboons, elephants, lions, bushbucks, waterbucks, roan antelopes, wild dogs which are so rare, birds for example African fish eagles, giant kingfishers, bamboo warblers among others.
What are Top Things to do in Mahale Mountain National Park?
Chimpanzee Trekking: Chimpanzee trekking is the iconic activity in Mahale mountains national park. Like other primate safaris like gorilla trekking experience in Uganda in Bwindi impenetrable national park, you have to go through off the beaten paths with a ranger guide in a total silence trying to locate the chimpanzees in their natural habitat. Chimpanzee trekking in Mahale national park takes about 30 minutes to 2hours depending on how quick you will find them and after finding them, you will spend 1hour in their presence as you take pictures and videos, learning how they associate, play and feed. Chimpanzees being our closest cousins, they are prone to human diseases, therefore when you visit, you need to keep a distance and wear mask as well.
Birding Watching: Mahale mountain national park is a home to over 350 recorded bird species and this makes it one of the birding havens in Tanzania. The park accommodates endemic birds and migratory birds. Some of the bird species seen in the park include; crowned eagles, scaly falcons, blue-checked bee-eater, palm-nut vulture, vieillots black weaver, trumpeter hornbills, crested guinea fowls, stuhlmanns starling, Rosso’s turacos, crested malimbe among others.
Hiking Trips: Hiking trip in Mahale national park is fascinating as it will expose you to the highest peak Nkungwe which is about 2462 meters high. Hiking to the top of Mahale summit it will take you about 2 to 3 days depending on how fast you can hike or how fit you are. On reaching the summit, expect to have stunning views of Lake Tanganyika especially at night when the fishmongers carrying lamps and lighting across the lake.
Sport Fishing: Engage in an amazing experience on Lake Tanganyika where you have a chance to catch fish and release it in the fresh waters. With a help of a local guide and the ranger, you will be directed to the designated fishing spots where you will be able to maximize the catch. Sport fishing always takes place in the early morning at 7am and at 5pm in the evening. Another
amazing water activity on the lake is snorkeling as you enjoy stunning views from wildlife that fringe around the sandbanks. You can also engage in cultural tours by visiting Batongwe and Holoholo people who have a rich history of the park and they have lived in the area even before it was gazetted.
What is the best time to visit Mahale Mountains National Park?
You can visit Mahale national park throughout the year however, the best season to visit the park is during dry season between July and October, this is when the trails and pathways are dry and the vegetation is short and you can clearly see wildlife. During dry season, chimpanzees tend to come to lower slopes of the mountains making it easy for travelers to encounter them.
