GOMBE NATIONAL PARK
Gombe Stream National Park is best known for its population of wild chimpanzees. Fascinated by the spectacular creatures, Dr. Jane Goodall studied the park’s chimps for more than 5 decades! She convinced the country’s officials to combine the chimps’ preservation with eco-tourism for the well-being of its wildlife and indigenous communities.
The park is located amongst some of Tanzania’s luscious tropical rainforests on the edge of the gorgeous Lake Tanganyika. With its awe-inspiring scenery, lush forests, glistening lake and of course, an exciting population of chimpanzees of all kinds, Gombe National Park is a favorite amongst tourists.
Guided Tours
Visitors can explore the park by taking guided tours. Local tour guides are aware of the best spots in the park where visitors can view chimpanzees in their natural habitats. Where else would you get to see chimpanzees up close?
Chimpanzees
Dame Jane Goodall was astounded by chimpanzees. Out of all the animals that live in Africa, it was the chimpanzees that Goodall fell in love with. Most zoologist and wildlife observers will agree that chimps are fascinating creatures because of one main thing—they remind us of ourselves!
Chimpanzees have the closest DNA to humans, it’s no wonder they behave so similarly to us. Ask your tour guide to take you to a troop of chimps, sit yourselves down at a close distance and wait for the drama to unfold!
Chimps happen to be quite intelligent. They are incredibly passionate animals; watch them for a few minutes and you’ll see how scheming, aggressive and extremely entertaining they can be.
Chimpanzees are basically like humans in their rudimentary state without all their polite customs. If you thought soap operas are entertaining then you’re in for a treat when watching chimps. They are a 100 times more aggressive than humans; if the other chimps happen to anger the alpha male, he’ll make sure they know.
Lake Tanganyika
Besides the chimpanzees, Gombe National Park’s Lake Tanganyika offers unforgettable experiences.
Visitors can choose to cool off at the lake with activities such as snorkeling, fishing and scuba diving.
The scenic views of the lake itself will take your breath away.
How to Get There
Traveling to Gombe National Park isn’t easy or cheap. The park is only accessible by boat from a small nearby town called Kigoma. Based on the arrangements of your itinerary, you can take an international flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dar es Salaam or Arusha.
Most travel companies will arrange for guide or operator to pick you from the airport but if they don’t, you can simply hail a taxi. The tour manager will also be in charge of booking the domestic flights you need to get you to Kigoma. Once you’ve reached the town, your travel company will have to arrange a private motorboat to finally take you to Gombe National Park.
Thankfully, it takes less than an hour to reach the park by boat from Kigoma.
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