Situated 20 kilometers north of Kigoma in the western Kigoma region, Gombe Stream National Park is one of Tanzania’s smallest protected areas. Spanning 52 square kilometers, it shares borders with the Thigh Rift Escarpment to the east and Lake Tanganyika to the west.
First established as a national reserve in 1943, Gombe Stream National Park became a national park in 1968, providing excellent habitat for chimpanzees in Tanzania. Jane Goodall’s research on chimpanzees, which began in 1960 and is still ongoing today, is the subject of the most well-known study of its kind, conducted at Gombe National Park. Jane Goodall, who had no formal college experience, moved to Tanzania in 1960 at the age of 25, where she started her research on chimpanzees, based on the recognized fact that humans and chimps share approximately 80% of their genetic makeup. She conducted study on Fifi, the matriarch, who is the last surviving member of the original group that Jane Goodall observed when she first arrived at Gombe National Park. Fifi was 3 years old when Goodall arrived, and she was sighted today while participating in chimpanzee tracking. The terrain of Gombe Stream National Park resembles that of Mahale in many ways. It is composed of a sandy beach, river basins of forested mountains, steep slopes covered in semi-deciduous forest, and rolling grasslands. More than 150 chimpanzees have been acclimated to their surroundings at Gombe National Park, which is home to several other primates including baboons, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, black and white colobus monkeys, and many more. It has been acknowledged as Tanzania’s premier primate habitat. With approximately 200 bird species, Gombe National Park is an excellent place to observe wildlife. These species include both resident and migratory birds that arrive in the area between November and April. Africa’s broadbill, Black saw-wing, Crowned eagle, Double-toothed barbet, Kenya’s rufous sparrow, Livingstone’s turaco, Palm-nut vulture, Peter’s twinspot, Red-capped robin-chat, Red-chested cuckoo, Ross’s turaco, Yellow-rumped tinkerbird, and several other bird species can be found in Gombe National Park.
Things To Do In Gombe Stream National Park
Chimpanzee tracking
The most popular safari activity in Gombe Stream National area is tracking chimpanzees. The area is home to habituated chimpanzees, trained to track and acclimated to human presence. In Gombe Stream National Park, chimpanzee tracking begins with a training on the norms and regulations that must be adhered to before venturing into the tropical forests to locate the primates. Seeing the chimpanzees in their groups, playing and going about their daily lives, is the ultimate pleasure. In addition to chimpanzees, you may see bushbucks, bush pigs, dik-dik, and many other animals when tracking them.
Birding safari
Over 200 bird species, both migratory and resident, can be seen during a birding safari in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park. African broadbills, Black saw-wing, Crowned eagles, Double-toothed barbets, Kenya Rufous sparrows, Livingstone’s turaco, Palm-nut vultures, Peter’s Twinspots, Red-capped robin-chat, Red-chested cuckoos, Ross’s turaco, Yellow-rumped tinker bird, and many more species can be seen there.
Guided nature walks
Gombe Stream National Park is a great place for guided nature walks because it has many different types of vegetation, including alpine bamboo, tropical rainforests, and grasslands, as well as steep valleys, streams, and rivers. These features make the park a perfect place for guided nature walks. During the same trip, you will have the chance to tour the former feeding station owned by Goodall’s foundation, where he first started his chimpanzee research. In 1871, Henry Stanely also met Dr. Livingstone at the old feeding station.
Boat excursions
Boat rides are available on Lake Tanganyika and the park’s rivers, providing breathtaking views of the surrounding greenery and blue seas. In the morning and afternoon, boat tours are available in the Gombe National Park upon request. Visitors can see birds and other creatures, including chimpanzees, and have the chance to snap some truly breathtaking photos.
Hiking safaris
In addition to providing incredible opportunities to interact with the park’s verdant vegetation and beautiful landscapes, hiking safaris in Gombe Stream National Park also serve as an excellent form of physical training by challenging one’s physical limits and using one’s muscles. In Gombe Stream National Park, hiking offers views of rare wild flower species and plants, wildlife like chimpanzees, and birds like trumpeter hornbills, horn bills, kingfishers, sunbirds, palmnut vultures, and many more. Hiking also takes you through heavily forested green hills and tropical forests.
Fishing safaris
Travelers can test their fishing skills in the waters of Lake Tanganyika by participating in fishing safaris in the Gombe Stream National Park, an activity that is truly engaging. When out fishing in Lake Tanganyika, you can capture a variety of fish species such as Lake Tanganyika sardine, Lake Tanganyika killifish, Lake Tanganyika sprat, Tanganyika slates, and enormous tilapia. A fishing permit, which includes a fishing guide, is required in order to go on a fishing safari in the Gombe Stream National Park.
Swimming safaris
The swimming safaris at Gombe National Park take place in the vicinity of Lake Tanganyika, which is the second largest freshwater lake in East Africa and the second oldest freshwater lake in the world. Playing in the serene waters of the lake, swimming safaris provide a cool and soothing escape from the heat of the sun.
How To Access the Park
Only water and air transport are available to reach Gombe Stream National Park; domestic flights are available from Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro International Airport. Upon arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport, one can choose to drive to Kigoma by car or by boat, which borders the park from Kigoma.
Accommodations
There are several different types of accommodation available in Gombe Stream National Park. These accommodation options are divided into three categories: luxury, midrange, and budget.
The Gombe Executive Lodge, Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge, GHN Lake Tanganyika Hotel, Kigoma Hilltop Hotel, Triple J resort, and many more are examples of luxurious accommodations.
Gombe Forest Lodge, Leader’s Lodge, Mahale Classic Lodge, Sunset Vista Hotel, and many more are examples of midrange accommodations.
Budget includes Muzye Lodge, One Point, Janda Lodge, and Gombe Bandas.
Recommended Tours
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