Chimpanzee Trekking in Tanzania – Cost, Price and Best time to Visit

Tanzania is one of the largest countries in East Africa and famous for its vast game parks/reserves, sandy beaches on the Indian Ocean, Lake Tanganyika, towering mountains like the Kilimanjaro, archeological sites like Olduvai Gorge and chimpanzee trekking which will be the subject of this article. Chimpanzee Trekking is more commonly associated with Uganda and Rwanda. That is largely because Travelers associate Tanzania with game drives to see the great wildebeest migration in the Serengeti or Ngorongoro Crater. Tanzania has also become associated with climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and exploring the amazing coastal towns like Zanzibar.

Primate tracking has becoming increasingly popular in Tanzania. This activity offers tourists an opportunity to do something different because it involves close encounters with creatures that bare a resemblance to we humans. Where can you see chimpanzees in Tanzania? This article will answer that question and provide more information about the different chimpanzee trekking sites. You might also be interested in Chimpanzee Trekking in Uganda. A similar article was written about Chimpanzee Tracking in Rwanda.

Where to see Chimpanzees in Tanzania

Gombe Stream National Park: This is one of the two chimpanzee trekking sites found in Tanzania. Gombe Stream national park is found next to lake Tanganyika and close to Burundi. Gombe stream national park gained popularity after a primatologist known as Jane Goodall begun studying wild chimpanzees in the 1960’s. Her initiative and projects continue to this day. Jane Goodall’s work contributed a lot to the protection and conservation of chimpanzees in Gombe and globally. Chimps were facing extinction in Gombe due to continuous poaching for meat. Goodall helped garner world attention and raised funds for chimpanzee conservation from international donors.

The Gombe Stream national park is the smallest in the country. It measures an area of just 35 square kilometers and has become one of the most visited chimpanzee trekking sites in East Africa. Many tourists and primatologists visit Tanzania with the sole purpose of encountering chimps in a wild setting. The groups earmarked for tourism have gradually gotten used to frequent human presence in a process known as the chimpanzee habituation experience. Travelers who visit Gombe Stream national park also get the rare opportunity to see other monkey species like the olive baboons, colobus monkeys and red tailed monkeys among others.

Mahale Mountains National park: This is the second site where tourists can see wild chimpanzees in Tanzania. The Mahale mountains national park was gazetted in the year of 1985 and is home to over 800 individual chimps. It’s a bigger national park than Gombe and covers a total land area of 1,613 square kilometers. The Mahale Mountains stand out because of the lush green vegetation and is also situated near Lake Tanganyika. The park characterized by vast tropical rain-forests with beautiful tree species like pines, silk trees, mahogany, fig trees, bamboo vegetation and grasslands. The Mahale mountains national park is also home to other animal species like the mongoose, squirrels, antelopes, yellow baboons, porcupines and blue duikers among others. Apart from chimps, the park is also an excellent place for viewing birds and butterflies.

Cost of Chimpanzee Permits in Tanzania

To visit any of the two chimpanzee trekking sites of Tanzania, Travelers are required to have purchased their chimpanzee trekking permits. The costs differ with each trekking site. A Chimpanzee Permit in Gombe Stream National Park cost 100 US Dollars. Chimpanzee Permits in Mahale mountains national park costs 150 US Dollars per individual trekker. It is important to know that the minimum age for chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania 15 years. Travelers are required to follow the guidelines given to them during the briefing before the trek. Some of the rules and regulations for chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania include: –

1. Sticking to the trekking group and not wandering off and risk getting lost in the dense vegetation.
2. Keeping a distance of at least 7 meters away from the nearest chimpanzee while viewing and spending time with them
3. Not looking directly into their eyes of a chimp as this may be mistaken for aggression or a challenge.

Other Activities while Chimpanzee Trekking in Tanzania

Travelers on a visit to either Gombe or Mahale Mountains National park can be sure to enjoy lots of other fun activities during or after completing their chimpanzee trekking excursions. These activities include guided nature walks in the forest reserves to view amazing wildlife species. Travelers can also spend quality time in the beautiful sandy beaches of the Lake Tanganyika. Along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, one can catch site of baboons and other creatures leaving their forest habitats to come for a drink. Other activities after chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania include mountain hiking, boat rides and sport fishing from the beautiful turquoise waters of Lake Tanganyika.

Best time for Chimpanzee Trekking in Tanzania

Tanzania is generally warm all year round with two climate seasons (wet and dry). The conducive climate in Tanzania has made chimpanzee trekking an all-year activity. One can visit the chimps during any time of the year although the dry seasons that fall in the months of June to October are the best months for trekking. Why? Because there are less chances of rain to reduce the quality of the activity. During the dry season, the trails in the forests are free of mud and less slippery. It may also be easier to take photos and undertake longer hikes. However, fruits are scarce during the dry season and the chimps may move deeper into the forest hence requiring more time finding them.

The rainy season makes things harder for trackers because they have to deal with overgrown bushes and mud-filled trails. The rainy season is excellent for those who love nature because the scenery can be breathtaking and there are lots of wildlife/bird activity. The chimps may also not move about much because they have plenty to eat. What are the chances of seeing Chimpanzees in Tanzania? The chances of seeing chimpanzees in Tanzania is over 80%. There is a lot of technology introduced to ensure that tourists always see the primates. Moreover, skilled trackers are used to know exactly where the primates are before taking tourists into the forests.

Accommodation during Chimpanzee Trekking in Tanzania

Travelers on chimpanzee trekking missions to either Gombe stream or Mahale mountains national parks can find high quality accommodation facilities from areas within the park or in the nearby towns. These accommodation facilities offer luxury, mid-range and budget services. The accommodation facilities to consider for chimpanzee trekking in Tanzania include Mbali, Lake Tanganyika hotel, Kigoma hill top hotel, Gombe lodge, Mahale camp and Mikumi adventure lodge just to mention a few.

Packing List for Chimpanzee Trekking in Tanzania

Travelers should pack long sleeved shirts/blouses to prevent insect bites and scratches in the forests. T-shirts, free walking trousers, strong light water proof hiking boots and breathable socks are also highly recommended for the dense African jungle. Other items on the packing list should include insect repellents, sunscreen, digital camera, binoculars, day back packs to carry travel equipment, drinking water, rain jackets and snacks. Thank you for reading.