Chimpanzee Trekking In Gombe Stream National Park : Are wondering about where you should go for a holiday? Tanzania is a fascinating destination for every tourist whose primary aim to explore multiple things. Tanzania is well-known for being home to spectacular destinations including Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater and Mount Kilimanjaro. The Northern Circuit of this marvelous country is a favorite one when it comes to wildlife adventures and climbing safaris.
The Western Circuit is a hidden gem with untouched Mother Nature, where three national parks (Katavi, Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains) are found.
Gombe National Park is an incredible park in the Western Circuit which is famous for viewing the chimpanzees. It was established in 1968 with an area of 35 square kilometers therefore, making it the smallest park in the country.
Chimpanzee trekking
Chimpanzee trekking is a once-in-a-lifetime safari in your life, especially in Gombe National Park where the chimpanzees are highly concentrated. Several chimpanzee groups have been habituated in Gombe, making easier for visitors to track them.
The chimps live in social groups of up to 20 individuals, which are usually controlled by a single male. The females take care of children and search for food while males are responsible for family safety. They defend their territories from enemies and other primates.
They also make simple tools poles, stones and spears. The tools are used for defense, hunting, and digging roots, which they feed on. They are however, not dangerous to humans. Therefore, you can’t be harmed by these primates though you should be cautious with them since they are wild animals.
During the rainy season, they are less migratory since the park is full of food. You will likely to witness huge groups of chimps during this time. However, in the dry season they scatter through the park, especially to areas with water and/or food. Young chimps show respect to the old ones.
The cost of a chimpanzee trekking safari
The cost of a three-day chimpanzee trekking safari varies depending on the number of people per group. A solo traveler can incur a cost of around $1025. The cost for a group of four people is averagely $650 per person. Some safari packages combine two parks, Gombe National Park and Mahale Mountains National Park, both of which are exceptional sites for chimpanzee trekking. The safari may take three to four days.
The TANAPA requires every safari-goer who is interested in chimp trekking to have a chimp trekking permit. You should also be aware of entrance fees which are charged by the park authorities. For East African resident, the conservation fee is TZS 10,000 for adults with the age of 16 years or above, and TZS 2000 for children aged between 5 and 15 years. For expatriates, the conservation fee is $50 for adults, and $10 for children while foreign non-residents with the age of 16 years or above will be charged a conservation fee of $25 and $10 for children aged between 5 and 15 years.
Other things to do in Gombe National Park
Gombe National Park is situated on the northern shore of Lake Tanganyika, therefore it is a nice place for doing many water sports. The water is fresh and cold, thus swimming is sensational in the world’s second deepest lake.
Canoeing can be done if you want to discover more about Lake Tanganyika. It is home to many freshwater fishes and other aquatic species. The catch-and-release fishing is unforgettable when done on a boat in Lake Tanganyika.
Gombe National Park is home to other primate and wildlife species worth a game ride. On a game ride, you may be luckier to spot leopard, impala, buffalo, waterbuck, antelopes, bushbuck and other primates such as red-tailed monkey, olive baboons, red colobus monkey and vervet monkey.
Over 200 bird species are resident to the dense forests of Gombe National Park, thus, birding is possible in this park. Some birds that are frequently encountered include the African fish eagle, kingfishers, starlings, palm-nut vulture, Livingstone’s turaco, paradise flycatcher, Forbes’ plover, sunbirds and many others.
Getting to Gombe Stream National Park
Gombe National Park can be reached by air to Kigoma airport followed by a boat safari through Lake Tanganyika. Railway transport to Kigoma is also available as well as road transport with Explore Africa Safaris
Which is the best time for chimp trekking?
Actually chimp trekking can be done all year round. However, during the wet season the park becomes full of muddy and seasonal swamps thus making chimp trekking a little bit difficult. You should try to avoid the months with heavy rains including March to May and November. Little rains are experienced during the months of December to February and June to October.
Where to stay in Gombe?
If you are planning to spend your night in Gombe National Park, there are state-of-art accommodation facilities. They include Mbali Mbali Lodge, Muzye Lodge, Mlukoyoyo Guest House and Gombe forest lodge.
Generally, all the tales of Gombe National Park can’t be put in pages precisely. A visit to this mysterious park will enrich your memory with many stories to tell or write in your diary.
