
PRIMATES
Gombe Stream National Park
About Gombe Stream National Park
Tanzania’s smallest national park, a strip of forest on the shore of Lake Tanganyika where Jane Goodall began her chimpanzee research in 1960 — still one of the most reliable places on Earth to track wild chimps.
Gombe’s habituated chimpanzee communities have been studied continuously since Goodall’s arrival, and trackers know the troops well enough to find them most mornings. Steep forest trails and a boat-only approach along the lake keep visitor numbers low.


Highlights
Guided chimpanzee tracking
Lake Tanganyika beaches and snorkelling
Red-tailed and red colobus monkeys
The original Jane Goodall research site
Wildlife & landscape
ChimpanzeeOlive baboonRed colobusRed-tailed monkeyBushpigOver 200 bird species
Season by season
Jun – Oct
Dry season, steadier trails and the easiest chimp tracking.
Nov – May
Wetter, slippery forest paths but lush scenery.
Practical notes
- •Accessible only by boat from Kigoma, itself a flight from Arusha via Dar es Salaam.
- •Trekking permits are limited daily — book well ahead.
- •Steep, humid trails: expect a real hike, not a drive.