01
Day 01
Fly to Kigoma
A flight west to Kigoma on Lake Tanganyika, and an afternoon in the town — the old railway terminus and the lake shore.
- StayHotel in Kigoma
- MealsBed and breakfast
01 · Overview
About this trip
Gombe is the smallest national park in Tanzania and the most famous piece of primate research ground in the world: Jane Goodall began work here in 1960, and the study has run ever since.
It is a strip of steep forested valleys along the lake shore north of Kigoma, reached only by boat. The chimpanzee community is small and long habituated, and the trekking is shorter and steeper than at Mahale.
The park is easier and cheaper to reach than Mahale and it feels more like a research station than a wilderness. Which of the two suits you depends on whether you want the history or the remoteness.
Tour length5 days / 4 nights
Start / endKigoma → Kigoma
PlacesGombe
AccommodationHotel, guest house or tented camp
Meal planBed and breakfast; Full board
Vehicle4×4 with pop-up roof
Tour typePrivate, on your dates
Group sizeTo confirm
02 · The price
What the price covers — and what it doesn't
Included 7 items
- Park and conservation-area entry fees for every park listed in the route
- Government taxes and concession fees that apply to those parks
- A 4×4 safari vehicle with a pop-up roof, fuel and an English-speaking driver-guide
- Accommodation on the basis shown for each night
- Meals as marked on each day
- Drinking water in the vehicle throughout
- Transfers between Kilimanjaro International Airport or Arusha town and your first night
Not included 6 items
- International flights, and internal flights unless a day says otherwise
- Tanzania visa, passport costs and travel insurance
- Tips for your guide, cook and camp or lodge staff
- Drinks, laundry and other personal spending
- Optional extras — balloon flights, night drives, spa treatments, private vehicle upgrades
- Anything not listed as included
03 · At a glance
Itinerary highlights
- Day 1Fly to Kigoma
- Day 2Boat to Gombe, and trek
- Day 3Chimpanzee trekking
- Day 4A second trek, then Kigoma
- Day 5Fly east
04 · Prices
Prices and what moves them
Every quote is written for the dates and the number of people travelling, because park fees, season and vehicle sharing move the figure more than anything else. We itemise it: park fees, accommodation, vehicle, meals.
Mid-range
Luxury
Mid-range
Per person, sharing · international flights not includedSingle supplement: To confirm
| Group size | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per person, 2026 | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm |
| Rooms | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3+ |
Luxury
Per person, sharing · international flights not includedSingle supplement: To confirm
| Group size | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Per person, 2026 | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm | To confirm |
| Rooms | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3+ |
Children. Child rates depend on age, the camps and how rooms are shared. Child policy to confirm
05 · The route
The route, day by day
02
Day 02
Boat to Gombe, and trek
A boat north along the shore, an hour or two depending on the craft, then an afternoon trek into the valleys behind the beach.
- StayGuest house or tented camp, Gombe
- MealsFull board
03
Day 03
Chimpanzee trekking
A full day with the trackers. The forest here is steep and the paths are short, sharp climbs. Afternoon at Jane Goodall’s old research station, or swimming off the beach.
- StayGuest house or tented camp, Gombe
- MealsFull board
04
Day 04
A second trek, then Kigoma
A last morning in the forest, then the boat back to Kigoma.
- StayHotel in Kigoma
- MealsBed and breakfast
05
Day 05
Fly east
The morning flight back to Arusha or Dar es Salaam for your onward connection.
- StayNone — the trip ends today
06 · Camps
Where you stay
Each night gives the kind of place and the area. The property itself is chosen for your month and your budget, and named in your quote.
Nights 1 & 4
Hotel in Kigoma
Bed and breakfast.
Nights 2–3
Guest house or tented camp, Gombe
Full board.
07 · Add-ons
Optional add-ons
Not in the standard price. Arranged on request and priced in your quote.
After the trip
Zanzibar beach extension
A short flight to the coast, for days with nothing to track.
08 · The ground
Where this trip takes you
01
Kigoma
The lake port and airstrip that serves Gombe, and the night either side of the boat transfer.
09 · Season
Best time to take this trip
Jun – Oct
The dry season
Firmer trails, and the chimpanzees tend to stay lower on the slopes, which shortens the walk.
Nov – Apr
The wet season
The forest at its greenest. Trails are slippery and the walks can be longer.
All year
Lake Tanganyika
Warm, clear water for the afternoons, whatever the month.
10 · Flights
Flights
Arrive
Kigoma
Kigoma is reached by a domestic flight. Internal flights are quoted with the trip.
Depart
Kigoma
Tell us your flight time and the last day is planned around it.
11 · Extras
Budget for these extras
Not in the package price, and worth planning for before you travel.
Most visitors need a Tanzania visa. What applies to your passport, and how to apply, is on our visas and vaccinations page.
Take a policy that covers medical evacuation from remote areas. More on our travel insurance page.
Tipping is customary but yours to decide. Our tipping guide sets out what is usual for guides, cooks and camp staff.
Water is provided in the vehicle. Other drinks at camps and lodges, laundry and souvenirs are paid locally.
12 · Why us
Why book this with us
01
Every route is a draft
Add a night, cut a day, finish on the coast. Most trips we run started as one of these and then moved.
02
Every quote itemised
Park fees, accommodation, vehicle and meals, line by line, for your dates and group.
03
Private, on your dates
Your own 4×4 with a pop-up roof and an English-speaking driver-guide.
04
Planned from Arusha
Ask on WhatsApp and you reach the people who plan the trip.
13 · Reviews
Reviews
Guest reviews for this route will appear here. To confirm
14 · Questions
Asked about this trip
Gombe for the history, the shorter journey and the lower cost. Mahale for the scale, the remoteness and the bigger chimpanzee population.
Short but steep — the valleys go straight up from the lake. An hour of hard climbing is normal, sometimes more.
The usual minimum age for chimpanzee trekking is twelve, and the terrain supports that.
July to October, and December to February. The long rains make the slopes slippery and the boat crossing rougher.
