What to do in Gombe Stream National Park besides Chimpanzee Tracking?
Chimpanzee Tracking is the main and popular safari activity offered to every tourist while on a Tanzania safari in Gombe Stream National Park. This exciting and adventurous activity, where visitors move on foot in lowland areas of the park in search of the habituated chimpanzee family and once found spend one hour with them in their natural environment. The park is a home to one habituated chimpanzee community hosting over 150 individuals known as The Kasekala chimpanzee community. Chimpanzee trekking at the park is usually done in the morning hours after a briefing from the park headquarters. Visitors will trek with an experienced and knowledgeable ranger guide into the jungle. It’s important to follow the park’s trekking rules and regulations during trekking.
Gombe Stream National Park is situated in the Western region of Tanzania along the world’s second deepest shores of Lake Tanganyika. The national park was gazette in 1968 and covers an area of bout 56 square kilometers making it one the smallest national park in Tanzania. The park is encompassed by woodland, savannah, rainforests, and steep valleys. Gombe Stream National Park is one of the places where Jane Goodall conducted her study and research on chimpanzees in Tanzania.
Beside the chimpanzees, the park is also home to a variety of mammals and 200 species of birds recorded dwelling in the park’s rich habitat including woodland, savannah, rainforests, and steep valleys. Some of other species dwelling here includes bush pigs, African leopards, hippos, olive baboons, red colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, and many others.
What to do in Gombe Stream National Park besides Chimpanzee Tracking?
Birding excursions
For a thrilling experience during your Tanzania safari in Gombe Stream National Park, consider going bird watching. This park is a haven for birds, with a remarkable count of over 200 species of birds recorded dwelling in its rich habitat. Your birding excursions in Gombe Stream National Park starts with a helpful briefing from a ranger, covering important guidelines for exploring this ancient forest. While birding excursion in Gombe Stream National Park , you’ll have the chance to spot different bird species such as African sacred ibis, long-tailed cormorant, common sandpiper, white-winged tern, osprey, black-winged kite, African harrier hawk, long-crested eagle, little sparrowhawk, African fish eagle, speckled mousebird, mountain buzzard, crowned hornbill, green-backed woodpecker, olive woodpecker, yellow-rumped tinkerbird, broad-billed roller, African malachite kingfisher, pied kingfisher, tropical boubou, fork-tailed drongo, white-necked raven, blue-mantled paradise flycatcher among others.
Guided nature walks
Embark on an unforgettable adventure through Gombe Stream National Park, a vibrant landscape teeming with life. This walk takes you to stunning waterfalls, Jane Goodall peak and different rewarding areas in the park. On a guided nature walk, you’ll have the chance to encounter fascinating creatures like olive baboons, red colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, and many others. You’ll also have the chance to spot different bird species such as the yellow-fronted canary, white-headed saw wing, leaf love, common bulbul, white-browed robin chat and others as well as different natural fully grown tree species and others. Always make sure you have a park ranger accompanying you while exploring the forest for your safety and to avoid getting lost in the dense wilderness.
Wildlife watching
Wildlife watching is another exciting activity to participate while on a Tanzania safari in this park. This activity is contacted in a schedule time such as morning and evening. While on your tour, you will have an opportunity to sight different wildlife such as bush pigs, African leopards, hippos. You’ll also spot different playful primates like olive baboons, red colobus monkeys, blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, and many others.
Hiking Jane’s Peak
Hiking Jane’s Peak is an unforgettable experience in Gombe Stream National Park. This challenging hike is a must-do for nature lovers, offering breathtaking views from the summit. Jane Goodall is an English primatologist and anthropologist who dedicated her life to studying and researching chimpanzees in the wilderness for about 60 years. She first visited Gombe Stream National Park in 1960, where she discovered human-like behaviors in chimpanzees.
Her research challenged the belief that only humans could use tools and that chimpanzees were vegetarians. The Jane Goodall Institute was established in 1977 to protect chimpanzees and their natural habitat in Gombe Stream National Park. while at the summit , you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the lush landscape, the sparkling waters of Lake Tanganyika, and habitat where chimpanzees roam. This experience will leave you with a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of the natural world and a sense of responsibility to protect it.
When Is the Best Time to Book Safari in Gombe Stream National Park
Gombe Stream National Park can be visited anytime of the year, But the dry seasons is the ideal time to visit the park, which runs from June, July, august and September and then December, January a February. During this time, it is easier to walk through the lush forest which are drier compared to rainy season.
Where to stay while on a safari in Gombe Stream National Park
For those visiting Gombe Stream National Park, your choices for lodging directly inside the park are limited to either Gombe Forest Lodge and Mbali Mbali Gombe. However, if you’re looking for alternative places to spend the night in the surrounding area, you could consider options such as Muzye Lodge, Mkoyoyo Guest House, Sunset Vista Hotel, Lake Tanganyika Hotel, Kigoma Hilltop Hotel, Gombe Bandas, among other plenty places.
What to carry on a safari in Gombe Stream National Park
Tourist planning to embark on Tanzania safari in Gombe Stream National Park are recommend to pack well. Tourist planning to trek chimpanzees in their natural habitat need to pack essentials items such as hiking stick, hiking boots, camera, binocular, rain jackets, insect repellents, long-sleeved clothes, an umbrella, sunscreen, plenty of drinking water, energy-giving snacks, sunglasses, hats, and many other things you might need.
How to get to Gombe Stream National Park
Getting to Gombe Stream National Park is straightforward, with boats departing from Kigoma town being the primary mode of transportation. Travelers have the option of a public motorboat or a faster, privately hired speedboat, with private options typically reaching the park in under an hour. Visitors can arrive in Tanzania by flying into Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, Arusha Airport, or Kilimanjaro Airport, and then journey to Kigoma, either by car or via a convenient domestic flight. Many visitors also enjoy pairing their Gombe Stream experience with explorations of other Tanzanian treasures such as Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Arusha National Park, Tarangire National Park, Lake Manyara National Park, Kilimanjaro National Park, and Mahale Mountains National Park, each offering distinct wildlife encounters and birdwatching possibilities.
