Located in the western part of Tanzania, on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, lies the pristine Gombe Stream National Park renowned for its rich biodiversity and significant research contributions to the understanding of primate behavior specifically the chimpanzees. Gombe Stream offers a rare glimpse into the wild and untamed beauty of East Africa’s tropical forests and is the smallest of Tanzania’s national parks  but undoubtedly one of the most scientifically significant, thanks to the pioneering work of famed primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall.

The Park offers highly rewarding and intimate experiences for those seeking to immerse themselves in nature as they engage in trekking, guided hikes to visit the park’s wildlife, chimpanzees, in their natural environment.

Exploring Gombe requires trekkers/ hikers to be physically fit as they follow through rugged terrain, steep hills to witness the Chimpanzees in their natural forest habitat to learn about their way of life as well as behavior. You follow through the green verdant forests with park rangers who are trained and skilled to offer you the best encounters with the primates.

Geography and Location

Gombe Stream National Park covers an area of 52 square kilometers (20 square miles) along the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika in the Kigoma Region of Tanzania. The park includes steep, forested hills and deep valleys, tropical forests, grasslands and a variety of wetlands that act as habitats. The park’s elevation ranges from the lake shore to about 1,200 meters (3,900 feet) above sea level.

The unique geography of Gombe plays a crucial role in supporting its rich diversity of flora and fauna. The forests that cover the park are lush, tropical, and evergreen, with a variety of plant species that provide shelter and sustenance to a wide array of wildlife.

Flora and Fauna

Gombe Stream National Park is home to a wide range of plant and animal species. Its dense forests are filled with a variety of trees, including the miombo woodlands, which support a rich array of wildlife. The park’s diverse habitats make it an important site for biodiversity conservation in Tanzania.

Chimpanzees at Gombe 

Gombe is most famous for being the site where Dr. Jane Goodall began her groundbreaking research on chimpanzee behavior in the early 1960s. Her studies of the park’s chimpanzee population not only changed the way we understand our closest relatives but also helped shape the field of primatology. Today, Gombe remains one of the best places in the world to observe wild chimpanzees in their natural habitat.

The chimpanzees of Gombe are a key attraction, and visitors have the rare opportunity to observe these intelligent creatures up close. There are roughly 100 to 150 chimpanzees in the park, living in several communities. These primates live in a complex social structure, exhibiting behaviors such as tool use, cooperation, and even warfare, which are strikingly similar to those of humans. Gombe’s chimpanzees are part of the larger East African subspecies of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii).

Other Fauna Species

Other than the chimpanzees, Gombe Stream National Park is home to a variety of other mammals like baboons, olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys and various species of antelopes like the bushbuck. The park is also home to a rich array of birdlife i.e over 200 species have been recorded making it a paradise for birdwatchers and the birds you watch here include; the African fish eagle, white-cheeked turaco, and various sunbirds can be spotted around the park’s verdant vegetation.

Additionally, the shores of Lake Tanganyika are home to several species of fish, including the rare and endemic species of cichlids, making the area significant for aquatic biodiversity as well.

How to Get There

Gombe Stream National Park can be accessed from Kigoma which is the closest town located along the  shores of Lake Tanganyika. Kigoma is accessible by road, boat and air. Most travelers fly into Kigoma’s small airport from Dar es Salaam or Arusha. From Kigoma, visitors typically take a boat or a short flight to the park’s main base at Mkenke Camp or the park’s headquarters.

While access to Gombe requires some effort due to its distant location, the journey is worth it for those looking to explore and experience the park’s unique primates.

Best Time to Visit

Gombe Stream National Park can be visited anytime around the year although the best time to visit the park is during the dry season in the months of June to October. During this time, the trekking conditions are more ideal and watching the chimpanzees is favorable as you get to access any area in the forest to watch these amazing primates in their natural forest habitat.