Gombe Stream National Park

Gombe Stream National Park is located on the western border of Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo, a park made famous due to the conservationist works of Dr. Jane Goodall, the resident primatologist who spent several years in the forest wilderness studying the behavior of chimpanzees, an endangered primate species.

The park lies along the wild shores of Lake Tanganyika and is an untamed area of purely lush forests and the clear blue waters of Lake Tanganyika.

Gombe National Park is the smallest of all the Tanzanian national parks, covering only 52 square kilometers, located only 16km north of Kigoma. The main attraction in this park is the chimpanzees, but others include over 200 bird species as well as other animals like bush pigs, leopards, hippos, snakes, and others.

It is covered by steep valleys with forest vegetation ranging from grassland, woodland, to tropical rainforest, and it is only accessible by boat via Lake Tanganyika, a lake that is inhabited by over 350 kinds of colourful cichlid fish.

Activities in Gombe Stream National Park

There are different things to do in Gombe Stream National Park that travelers on a Tanzania safari in the park can get to enjoy. Things to do in Gombe Stream National Park include chimpanzee tracking, bird watching, walk the shoreline, among others.

Chimpanzee Tracking

Chimpanzee tracking in Gombe National Park is the most popular activity in the park. Chimpanzee tracking in Gombe Stream National Park involves walking through trails in the park in search of the fully habituated chimpanzees in the wild. Once you find the chimpanzees, you get up to only 1 hour with them.

Bird Watching

Bird watching is one of the various things to do in Gombe that travelers on a Tanzania safari tour here can enjoy. There are over 200 birds in Gombe Stream National Park, including, among others, the African Fish Eagle, Common Paradise Flycatcher, Tropical Boubou, African Broadbill, Double-toothed Barbet, and the Golden-rumped Tinker Bird. The best time to visit Gombe Stream National Park for bird watching experiences is during the months of November through April, when there are migratory birds as well from Europe and North Africa.

While out bird watching or chimpanzee tracking, be sure to look out for other primates in the park. Other primates found in this park include Colobus monkeys, Blue and Red tailed Monkeys among so many others.

Best time to visit

Gombe can be visited all throughout the year, depending on your schedule. Chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park do not move far off in November to mid-December and February to June, as they are rainy months and thus have much more foliage at lower altitudes, so you can easily spot them, although the paths may be slippery and muddy. The dry season months are best, given the paths are not muddy and slippery, thus enabling faster trekking, although the chimpanzees may be a bit far as they move farther away in search of food and water.

What to Wear

As you look to embark on a trip here, you may want to know what to wear. Travelers are highly recommended not to wear bright coloured clothes, white and dark colours, but instead opt for neutral colours like khaki, mid-tone brown, olive, and green colours. Long pants, long-sleeved shirts, socks, comfortable shoes with a good grip, and gardening gloves to protect your hands whilst in the park chimpanzee tracking. Do carry insect repellent creams as well.

Getting to Gombe Stream

You would need to fly to Kigoma Airport from Dar es Salaam or by road to Kigoma, and then proceed on a boat transfer to the park.

Accommodation in Gombe Stream National Park

There are several accommodations in Gombe that travelers can opt for whilst at the park. Some of the lodges include the Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge, Gombe Forest Lodge, and Gombe Bandas, among others. You could also opt for the Kigoma Hilltop Hotel, which is an amazingly beautiful hotel with stunning views of Lake Tanganyika.

Looking to see primates, especially chimpanzees, in Tanzania? Gombe Stream is your best safari destination. Get in touch with a knowledgeable tour operator in Tanzania to help you plan an amazing chimpanzee tracking adventure in Gombe National Park and beyond.