Gombe National Park is the smallest of Tanzania’s national parks, a fragile strip of chimpanzee habitat straddling the steep slopes and river valleys that hem in the sandy northern shore of Lake Tanganyika. This place was made famous by the pioneering work of Jane Goodall in 1960 who founded a behavioral research program that now stands as the longest-running study of its kind in the world.
The most visible of Gombe’s other mammals are also primates. A troop of beachcomber olive baboons are exceptionally friendly, while the red colobus monkeys stick to the forest canopy. The park’s 200-odd bird species range from the iconic fish eagle to the jewel-like Peter’s twinspots that hop tamely around the visitors’ center.
There's plenty to do: Chimpanzee trekking; hiking, swimming and snorkeling, a visit to the site of Henry Stanley's famous “Dr Livingstone I presume” near Kigoma. And watching the renowned dhow builders at work. After dusk, a dazzling night sky is complemented by the lanterns of hundreds of small wooden boats, bobbing on the lake like a sprawling city. Walking with the chimps in the rainforest during the day and swimming in lake Tangayika in late afternoon makes for an amazing day in Gombe.
Prices are per person and range from $1,520 to $5,250 depending on duration and lodging. For more details about itineraries and prices go to our Tour Packages page.