The Gombe Stream National Park is located on the northeastern shore of Lake and is relatively small. Tanganyika is close to the Burundi border. Despite its size, the park has gained worldwide recognition due to the groundbreaking work of Dr. Jane Goodall arrived to study chimpanzee behavior. Park's landscape is a combination of steep valleys, streams, and rivers, and it boasts a range of vegetation, from tropical rainforests and alpine bamboo to grasslands, similar to the neighboring Mahale Mountains National Park. While air charters land in Kigoma, access to the park is only possible via boats departing from Kigoma town.
Highlights
Gombe is renowned for its resident chimpanzee population that lives within the park. Accustomed to human presence, these unique primates can be observed on a walking safari through the forests. Other primates, such as vervet monkeys, beachcomber olive baboons, and red-tailed monkeys, can be spotted in the park. From time to time, On the forest floors, one can observe bushbucks and bush pigs foraging. Moreover, the park accommodates more than 200 species of birds. Among the most commonly seen are fish eagles, palm nut vultures, tropical boubous, and trumpeter hornbills. With its clear water, Lake Tanganyika is home to over 100 cichlid species and hippos.
Activities
Gombe offers exciting walking safaris which allow visitors to view the chimpanzees and forest. Additionally, visitors can enjoy snorkeling, swimming, or simply relaxing on the white sand at Lake Tanganyika. It's safe to swim as hippos and crocodiles tend to keep their distance from Gombe. When in Gombe, tourists should visit the Goodall Foundation's old feeding station and explore the nearby village of Ujiji, where Henry Stanley met Dr. Livingstone in 1971.