| Size |
52 sq km ( about 32 sq miles), Tanzania's
smallest park. |
| How to get |
Drive, scheduled or charter flight from
Dar or Arusha, slow train from Dar or Mwanza or lake ferry from
Burundi or Zambia to Kigoma then local or charter boat from
Kigoma to Gombe (2-3 hrs ). |
| What to do |
Chimpanzee trekking; hiking, swimming /
snorkelling; visit the site of Henry Stanley's famous " Dr Livingstone
I presume " at Ujiji, near Kigoma and watch the renowned dhow
builders at work. |
| When to go |
The chimps don't roam as far in the wet
( February - June, November - mid December ) so may be easier
to find; better picture opportunities in the dry ( July - October
and late December ). |
| Accommodation |
One hostel, 1 guest house and 2 camp sites,
all self - catering. |
|
 |
[Travel Tips]
Strict rules are in place to safeguard you and the chimps. Allow
at least 2 days to see them - this is not a zoo so there are
no guarantees where, and when they'll be each day. |
|
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Gombe
National Park is in the northwest near Lake Tanganyika, was named after
Gombe River. The smallest of Tanzania's parks ( 52 sq km ), but it offers
visitors the rare chance to observe chimpanzees. This park is famous as
the inhabitant area of a chimpanzee and the research is continued from 1960
by the science team centering around animal scholar Jane Goodall of England.
A number of monkey species can also be seen - red colobus, red tail and
blue monkeys. The area is heavily forested, making it unsuitable habitat
for carnivores - so the park is safe for walking safaris.