The Mahale Mountains in western Tanzania remain one of the least visited yet most spectacular places to observe wild chimpanzees.
Unlike the more frequented Gombe National Park where Jane Goodall first documented chimpanzees using tools or Rwanda’s Nyungwe and several Ugandan sites, Mahale offers a secluded and immersive experience.
Its jungle-clad peaks rise dramatically from the shores of Lake Tanganyika, providing a breathtaking backdrop to encounters with some of our closest living relatives.
Located south of Gombe, Mahale lies at Tanzania’s western edge. After exploring Lake Victoria, I set out with a friend to experience this remote sanctuary.
We hired a safari vehicle and a local driver, Richard, for the 12-hour overland journey south. Delays at a rural gas station, where Richard and locals worked to fix a fuel leak, tested our patience, but by nightfall we reached Kigoma, the lakeside city that serves as a gateway to Mahale and Gombe.
The next day, our journey continued along a challenging mud track to Mahale National Park headquarters. With no roads inside the park, we then transferred to a small boat to reach our ranger camp—a simple but comfortable base, powered by solar energy, and nestled deep within the forest.
The surrounding canopy teemed with wildlife, from red-tailed monkeys to the elusive blue duiker, reminding us that we were truly in the heart of the wild.
In Mahale, chimpanzees are difficult to see unless they are habituated to human presence a process that can take years.
Today, only one group, known as Group M, is fully habituated. This lineage formed in the 1970s after a dramatic reshuffling of chimpanzee groups in the park.
Our first encounter came after hours of tracking through dense jungle slopes. We finally spotted a female and her infant.
While the mother moved cautiously, the baby watched us with curiosity. Visitors must wear face masks and maintain distance to prevent the transmission of human diseases, which chimpanzees are highly susceptible to.
The next day, rain made tracking challenging, but the group eventually approached the camp itself, engaging in a curious new behavior licking the walls to obtain salt and minerals.
Among them was Teddy, the alpha male, whose imposing presence was both thrilling and humbling. Observing the chimps’ social interactions, grooming rituals, and playful behaviors offered a rare window into a world so closely related to our own.
Our days ended with serene sunsets over Lake Tanganyika, while somewhere on the slopes, the chimpanzees built their nightly nests.
Mahale’s remoteness, untouched forests, and rich wildlife make it one of the most extraordinary destinations in the world for nature lovers.
For those seeking a wildlife adventure off the beaten path, Tanzania’s Mahale Mountains deliver an unforgettable, intimate encounter with the wild where the forest, the lake, and chimpanzees coexist in perfect harmony.