Gombe National Park
Gombe National Park is Tanzania’s smallest national park, but its famous primate inhabitants and its connection to Jane Goodall have given it worldwide renown. Many of Gombe’s 100-plus chimps are well habituated, and though it can be difficult, sweaty work traversing steep hills and valleys, if you head out early in the morning sightings are nearly guaranteed.
Chimpanzees share about 98% of their genes with humans, and no scientific expertise is required to distinguish between the individual repertoires of pants, hoots and screams that define the celebrities, the powerbrokers, and the supporting characters. Perhaps you will see a flicker of understanding when you look into a chimp’s eyes, assessing you in return – a look of apparent recognition across the narrowest of species barriers.
The most visible of Gombe’s other mammals are also primates. A troop of beachcomber olive baboons, under study since the 1960s, is exceptionally habituated, whereas the red-tailed and red colobus monkeys – the latter regularly hunted by chimps – stick to the forest canopy.
The park’s 200-odd bird species range from the iconic fish eagle to the jewel-like Peter’s twinspots that hop tamely around the visitors’ centre.
After dusk, a dazzling night sky is complemented by the lanterns of hundreds of small wooden boats, bobbing on the lake like a sprawling city.
Size: 52 sq km (20 sq miles), Tanzania’s smallest national park.
Location: 16 km (10 miles) north of Kigoma on the shore of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania.
Gombe is famous for a population of chimpanzees live within the park. These incredible primates habituated to humans can be seen on a walking safari through the forests. Other primates seen in the park include vervet monkeys, beachcomber olive baboons and red tailed monkeys.
Bushbucks and bush pigs can also be seen foraging on the forest floors from time to time. The park is home to over 200 species of birds, amongst the most commonly seen are fish eagles, palm nut vultures, tropical boubous and trumpeter hornbills. Lake Tanganyika with is clear water is home to over 100 cichlid species as well as hippos.
Activities
Walking safaris to see the chimpanzees and forest is the main attraction at Gombe. Lake Tanganyika is also a wonderful place to go snorkelling and swimming, or just relax on the white sand. Hippos and crocodiles tend to keep their distance from Gombe which means visitors can take a dip in the lake without having to worry about sharing the water with wild animals.
Aside from the chimps, other primates are often encountered. A troop of olive baboon, also under study since the 1960s, is exceptionally habituated, while red-tailed and red colobus monkey – the latter regularly hunted by chimps – stick to the forest canopy. One of the more secretive inhabitants of the forest is the bushpig.
No accessibility by road to Gombe National park Tanzania but its only accessible by Boat from Kigoma Town in Tanzania
Kigoma is connected to Dar and Arusha by scheduled flights, to Dar and Mwanza by a slow rail service, to Mwanza, Dar and Mbeya by rough dirty roads, and to Mpulungu in Zambia by a weekly ferry.
From Kigoma, local lake-taxis take up to three hours to reach Gombe, or motorboats can be chartered, taking less than one hour.
The chimps tend to stick to the lower slopes of the escarpment during the drier months (May to October), so this is the best time to track them. And hiking through the forest is certainly easier when the tracks are firm and dry. By contrast, in the Wet season (November to April) you’re more likely to slip, and the chimps require a lot more effort to find.
Gombe has a pleasant, relatively cloudless Dry season (May to October) and a humid, stormy Wet season (November to April). One of the best things about the drier months is the absence of cold nights. The coolest it gets is around 15°C/59°F, which isn’t bad. A lot of water can get dumped on the park when the rains come, but these usually arrive late in the day and don’t last long.
A yellow fever vaccination certificate. Also take medical evacuation insurance, malaria prophylaxis (consult your doctor), sun protection gear and creams, insect repellent and anti-histamine creams. Tsetse bites are harmless but painful, and often cause swellings that itch for days. Due to altitude mosquitoes or tsetse flies are not that common as at lower altitudes.
Best time to Visit Tanzania
The best wildlife viewing months in Tanzania are during the Dry season from late June to October. The best chance of seeing the wildebeest migration in the Serengeti is during June and July and the time to see the wildebeest calving is late January to February. The southern and western circuit parks are best visited during the Dry season (June to October).
Best Time : June to October ((Little to no rainfall)), June-July and January-February (Serengeti for the wildebeest migration and calving)
High Season : July to March (northern circuit parks; they get crowded), July to October (southern and western circuit parks; they don't really get crowded any time of the year)
Low Season: April and May (northern circuit parks still get quite a few visitors unlike the southern and western circuit parks, where many lodges close down)
Worst Weather: March and April (Peak of Wet season)
Tanzania Safari Packages
Choice of Safari holidays in Tanzania& tours from specialist, expert ... Small group travel: Departs most Sundays and selected Wednesdays throughout the year.
4 Days Tanzania Group Joining Budget Safari
4 Days Tanzania Group Joining Budget Safari - Adventure budget camping safari Tanzania. Experience unforgettable memorable Tanzania wildlife tour on this Tanzania ...
5 Days Tanzania Budget Campng & lodge Safari
5 Days Budget Tour is special tour package takes to Serengeti and other game ... takes to During this camping adventure in Tanzania National Parks by ... The begins of 5-Days Tanzania Budget Tour by picking you up from the hotel at Arusha ... Day 5: safari from Serengeti to Arusha via Ngorongoro crater.
7 Days Tanzania Budget Safari
This 7 day camping safari allows you to experience the highlights of the Northern Safari Circuit. You will experience breathtaking wildlife in the midst of some of the most diverse landscapes. You will also visit the world famous Serengeti National Park....
8 Days Tanzania Wildlife Camping and Lodge Safari
The 8 days safari will allow you to witness the best of the wildlife and best of birding experiences as you traverse the northen circuit in your Tanzania Safari. Savour the moments as you spend in some of the best lodges and camps beknown to Tanzania game safari circuit.
12 Days Nothern Tanzania Budget Wildlife Safari
Our 12 days Tanzania Safari and Zanzibar tour package will is combination safari involve wildlife safari Lodge or Tented Camping Safaris and beach vacation to Zanzibar Island. 13 days Tanzania And Zanzibar beach Is best package for Family or group of Friends to the game park including Serengeti famous for wildebeest migration later fly to Zanzibar for beach tour and vacation.
14 Days Kenya and Tanzania Wildlife Luxury Safari with Zanzibar Beach Holiday
Safari in the Masai Mara & paradise beaches on Zanzibar ... Luxury tailormade safari and beach holidays in Kenya .... Kenya and Tanzania tour, 14 days.....
20 Days Kenya Tanzania Gudget Group Safari with Zanzibar Beach Holiday
Kenya Budget Safaris | Tanzania Holiday | WildRace Africa Safari Tours ... small group tours and Safaris in Kenya and Tanzania Combined, Kenya and Tanzania ... parks Maasai Mara and Serengeti Safaris, Kenya wildlife and beach Holiday .... to amazing East African Safari destinations — Kenya, Tanzania, and Zanzibar.