Mahale Mountains – Tanzania is a mountain range protected by the Mahale Mountains National Park. It is home to about a thousand chimpanzees and a number of other animals as well as birds.
Location
Mahale Mountains – Tanzania is situated in the western regions of the country, off the eastern side of Lake Tanganyika.
Getting There
The best and easiest way to reach the Mahale Mountains – Tanzania and the national park is via air travel. There are direct flights from Arusha that have regular runs between the months of June and October, which is the peak season.
From October thru March, flights from Arusha to the national park are twice per week. On other months, there are no flights since the national park is closed due to heavy rains.
You can also charter a flight from Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar.
What to See and Do
The Mahale Mountains – Tanzania is home to one the largest concentrations of chimpanzees in the world. The Mahale Mountains National Park is actually one of the only two national parks in the country established to protect the chimpanzees.
Chimpanzee tracking is a major tourist attraction in the national park. Here, you can view the magnificent chimps going about their routine in their natural habitat. Apart from the chimpanzees however, you can see various other animals living within the areas around the mountain range.
These include the red Colobus, blue monkeys, red – tailed monkeys, elephants, warthogs, yellow baboons, bushpigs, buffalos, sable antelopes, eland plus rare sightings of the elusive lions and leopards.
Finally, there are various bird species living in the park as well and you can catch glimpses of these are you walk down the trails.
Brief History
The national park established to protect the Mahale Mountains – Tanzania was established in the year 1985. Its highest mountain peak is known as Nkungwe which rises approximately eight thousand and sixty – nine feet above sea level.
The park’s coverage area is estimated at one thousand six hundred and thirteen square kilometers. The area has a mostly hilly as well as rugged terrain.
It is one of the very few national parks in the African Continent that is inaccessible by any type of vehicle hence; visiting the park is through walking only.
Local tribes that live around the mountain range regard Nkungwe as a sacred mountain, particularly the Tongwe peoples.
Cost
Entry fee into the national park around the Mahale Mountains – Tanzania is US$ 80 for guests 16 years old and above; and US$ 30 for guests aged 5 years old up to 16 years old.
Children under 5 years of age are free of charge. Camping is about US$ 30 per night, for those who are above 16 years old and US$ 5 for those who are between 5 years old and 16 years old.
Official guides are US$ 10 per guide during working hours and US$ 15 outside working hours.
Other Information
The best time to visit the Mahale Mountains – Tanzania is between the months of May and October, during the dry season.
