01
Overview
Fifty-six square kilometres of steep forested valleys above Lake Tanganyika, and the birthplace of long-term chimpanzee research.
Jane Goodall arrived at Gombe in 1960 and the observations that followed changed what science accepted about tool use and about animal minds. The research has run continuously since, which makes this a working field site as much as a park.
It is small and steep. Trekking involves real climbing on narrow paths, and the reward is time with chimpanzees whose family histories are documented across decades.
Wildlife
- Chimpanzee
- Olive baboon
- Red colobus
- Blue monkey
What you actually see
Chimpanzees with documented lineages
Individuals here are known by name across generations of research.
Olive baboon, also long-studied
Gombe’s baboons have their own decades-long research record.
Red colobus and red-tailed monkey
Both common in the valleys, and both chimpanzee prey.
The lake below the forest
Swimming off the beach at the end of a hot trek is part of the day.
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What a visit involves
By boat from Kigoma
There is no road. Kigoma is reached by air or by the long train from Dar es Salaam, and the park is a boat ride up the shore from there.
Getting there
Steep valleys, humid forest
Shorter distances than Mahale but consistently steep. Early starts.
The trekking
A living research station
Kasekela valley, the feeding station site and the research buildings are part of what you see.
The history
03
Where to stay
Guest house or tented camp, Gombe
Simple rooms at the park.
The kind of place and the area are fixed by the route. The property itself is chosen for your dates and budget, and named in your quote.
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Getting there
Getting there
A domestic flight to Kigoma, then a boat up the lake shore.
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Trips that reach Gombe
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Best time to go
Best months · Jun–Oct
The dry season
Animals gather along the rivers and the bush thins out — the classic months for the south.
The green season
Hot, lush and very good for birds. Some tracks become hard going.
The long rains
Many camps in the south close. Ask before planning these months.
07
Practical
08
More places to go
Ruaha National Park
The largest park in the country, and very few vehicles.
Nyerere (Selous)
Boat safaris and walking on the Rufiji.
Katavi National Park
Buffalo herds in the thousands, and near-total solitude.
