GOMBE NATIONAL PARK
This park is on the shores of Lake Tanganyika and chimpanzees are more easily seen here in their natural habitat than anywhere else in the world. Gombe was created to protect the chimpanzees and is set in the beautiful Mahale Mountains.
It is renowned for fantastic sunsets over Lake Tanganyika and eastern Zaire, which makes it an essential stop for the keen photographer. The habitats include rain forests, grasslands, alpine bamboo and woodland. The best time to visit is between May and October.
MAHALE NATIONAL PARK
Reached by flying and then by dhow or foot, this private camp lies on a crescent beach at the base of the 8000ft Mahale Mountains overlooking Lake Tanganyika. It is truly one of the most beautiful and dramatic locations of any camp in East Africa.
The camp manages to combine great style, charisma and fun with a serious and ecologically sound approach – all the structures are built of biodegradable materials and there is no generator. The camp is small and beautifully built with large, pale, walk in tents.
This is the place to stay to see wild chimpanzees. The camp organises morning treks into the forest, led by local guides whose knowledge of the forest and chimps is unrivalled. The lengths of the treks vary greatly and there is no guarantee of finding the chimps, but the guides are conscientious, and, if possible, will continue until they find them or until everyone has enough. The camp's dhow is used for gentle sails in the evenings, snorkelling or just to enjoy the breathtaking scenery.
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TARANGIRE NATIONAL PARK
At 2 600km², Tarangire is far from being the biggest of the Tanzanian parks, but its unrivalled landscape of open plains, dotted with thousands of baobabs, is unforgettable. About 120km south of Arusha on the Dodoma road, Tarangire rivals the Serengeti for the size of the game herds that congregate here at peak season (June to November).
This is when many of the animals crowd around the only source of permanent water in the park, the Tarangire River. This is also the best place in Tanzania to see really big herds of elephant – up to 300 at a time.
Tarangire is another park known for its tree-climbing lions, and for its very big herds of buffalo. This is one of Africa's little-known gems and should be on the itinerary of all lovers of wilderness and solitude. The game numbers are staggering: 30 000 zebra, 25 000 wildebeest, 5 000 buffalo, 3 000 elephant, 2 500 Maasai giraffe and over 1 000 fringe-eared oryx (gemsbok). Predators include lion, cheetah and leopard, and birders will want to look out for the endemic ashy starling, rufous-tailed weaver and black-collared lovebird. [ Related Safari ]
