When to Visit Gombe
Gombe is best visited during the dry season, which stretches from June to October. In the dry season there is very little rain or none at all, with plenty of sunshine, although later in the year a fine haze can impede viewing conditions. There are few mosquitoes about, especially during the day. Chimps generally stay on the lower slopes during the dry period and are easier to find. Sometimes they can even be seen close to the camps or wandering along the sandy shore. In intermediate periods, conditions are widely variable but generally tolerable and well worthwhile because of other incentives.
Things to Do
Head out on a guided forest walk to catch a glimpse of our closest relative, as well as up to 82 other wildlife species that call the parks home.
Approximately 150 chimpanzees live in the park.
A chimp sighting is never guaranteed. However, with experienced guides, the chance is good. Once you have located the troop, you will have up to one hour to observe them.
You will need a permit for chimpanzee tracking, and at the time of writing, a chimpanzee permit for Gombe National park is the cheaper option at $100.
Gombe Stream National Park
"Chimpanzee’s Haven"
The length of walk can vary enormously – they are sometimes literally at the back of the camp and other days they are nowhere to be seen – but on average you should expect to walk for at least 2-3 hours. If you fail to spot a wild chimp, don’t get too disheartened, the landscape, flora and fauna are fantastic in and around the Reserve. From Jane’s Peak you can see a stunning view of the entire Park and Kakombe Waterfall.
Gombe Stream National Park is Tanzania’s smallest park (52 sq km) and is home of the world famous chimp reserve. It is located 16 km north of Kigoma on the shore of Lake Tanganyika in the western Tanzania.
Getting there
Kigoma is connected to Dar and Arusha by scheduled flights, to Dar and Mwanza by a slow railway service, to Dar, Mwanza, and Mbeya by rough dirt roads, and to Mpulugu 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.
