.jpeg)
MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Set deep in the heart of the African interior, inaccessible by road and only 100 km (60 miles) south of where Stanley uttered that immortal greeting “Doctor Livingstone, I presume”, is a scene reminiscent of an Indian Ocean island beach idyll. Silky white coves hem in the azure waters of Lake Tanganyika, overshadowed by a chain of wild, jungle-draped peaks towering almost 2 km above the shore: the remote and mysterious Mahale Mountains.
Mahale Mountains, like its northerly neighbour Gombe Stream, is home to some of Africa’s last remaining wild chimpanzees: a population of roughly 800, habituated to human visitors by a Japanese research project founded in the 1960s. Tracking the chimps of Mahale is a magical experience. The guide’s eyes pick out last night’s nests – shadowy clumps high in a gallery of trees crowding the sky.
Scraps of half-eaten fruit and fresh dung become valuable clues, leading deeper into the forest. Butterflies flit in the dappled sunlight. Then suddenly you are in their midst: preening each other’s glossy coats in concentrated huddles, squabbling noisily, or bounding into the trees to swing effortlessly between the vines.
The area is also known as Nkungwe, after the park’s largest mountain, held sacred by the local Tongwe people, and at 2,460 metres (8,069 ft) the highest of the six prominent points that make up the Mahale Range. And while chimpanzees are the star attraction, the slopes support a diverse forest fauna, including readily observed troops of red colobus, red-tailed and blue monkeys, and a kaleidoscopic array of colourful forest birds.
You can trace the Tongwe people’s ancient pilgrimage to the mountain spirits, hiking through the montane rainforest belt – home to an endemic race of Angola colobus monkey – to high grassy ridges chequered with alpine bamboo. Then bathe in the impossibly clear waters of the world’s longest, second-deepest and least-polluted freshwater lake – harbouring an estimated 1,000 fish species – before returning as you came, by boat.
_jfif.jpg)
WHY MAHALE NATIONAL PARK?
Encounter wild chimpanzees and the red colobus monkey.
Far from the beaten track and ruggedly adventurous.
Set among the forested slopes of the mountains of the same name, the Mahale Mountains National Park was originally created to protect thousands of chimpanzees. It is renowned for its fantastic sunsets over Lake Tanganyika, which makes it an essential stop for keen photographers and safari enthusiasts. The habitat combines rainforest, grasslands, alpine bamboo and woodland.
Some 50 species of animals have been recorded in the Park, predominant among these being representatives of various monkey and ape families. Over 90 unique species of fish swim in the clear waters of the lake.
Walking safaris in the beautiful, lowland forest allow close encounters with a vast array of birds and animals, including a group of habituated chimpanzees. The opportunity to track chimps in their natural habitat is Mahale’s foremost tourist attraction.
An ascent of the highest peak in the Mahale Mountains ridge, Mt. Nkungwe, is one of the most spectacular activities available to tourists. It takes 2-3 days to reach the summit, and the best time for climbing is during the dry season (May – October). Whilst camping on the mountain at night, it is often possible to see the spectacle of ‘fishing fire’, as the kerosene lamps carried by small fishing boats light up across the Lake.
Lake Tanganyika contains more than 250 species of fish found nowhere else on Earth, many of which can be viewed by snorkelling in the shallows along Mahale’s shoreline.
Long walking trips can be arranged for viewing big game such as lion, elephant, hippo, buffalo, giraffe and leopard. These safaris may require up to 7 days.
Sport fishing on the fresh waters of Lake Tanganyika is possible under special licences available to visitors.
Cultural tourism activities entailing visits to the nearby villages can also be arranged. Kigoma town and the historical town Ujiji are worth a detour. Kigoma is the capital of the Kigoma District and the economic centre of the region. Ujiji is a historical town dating back to the days of German colonial rule in Tanganyika. In the 19th century, Dr. Livingstone travelled to Ujiji in a bid to stop the slave trade.
Other tourist destinations in western Tanzania that can complement a visit to Mahale Mountains National Park include Gombe Stream and Katavi National Parks, lying north and south of Mahale respectively.
WHEN TO GO?
It is possible to track chimpanzees all year in Mahale Mountains. However, the chances of finding them improve towards the end of the Dry season (from July to October) when the chimps favor the lower slopes. If you have two or three days, your chance of seeing them is reasonable at any time of the year.
May to October –Dry Season
Chimpanzees can be found easily on the low mountain slopes from July to October
Sunshine with little chance for rain
Malaria is less of a concern since few mosquitoes are present
You might see other tourists while tracking chimps, but the park is never crowded.
November to April –Wet Season
The air is clean and clear
Waterfalls are in full flow
Migratory birds are present, so birding is at its peak
Butterflies are plentiful
Forest trails may be slippery and hard to travel
As chimpanzees move to higher ground, they become harder to track
It gets hot and humid