Gombe Stream National Park
Gombe Chimpanzee Expedition by Lake Tanganyika
A private boat, a lakeshore forest and a long morning on the trail with wild chimpanzees.
- Duration
- 5 days
- Destinations
- Gombe Stream National Park
- Best months
- Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct
- Group size
- 1 to 6 guests
- From
- $3,432 per person
Overview
A private boat, a lakeshore forest and a long morning on the trail with wild chimpanzees.
On the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika, a forest has become one of the most important places in the study of primates. Gombe is Tanzania's smallest national park, around 35 km², and the site where Jane Goodall watched a chimpanzee shape a twig to fish termites from a mound, a moment that changed what science believed about our closest relatives.
No road leads in. Every visitor crosses the lake by boat, and the forested ridges climb from the shore at 773 m to roughly 1,500 m. The park holds a single lodge, so numbers stay small by geography rather than by price. This five-day private trip links Dar es Salaam, Kigoma and Gombe, with two mornings of tracking at first light and all transport arranged just for your party.
- Two dawn treks, since the chimpanzee community moves overnight and rarely beds down in the same spot twice
- Some of the most habituated wild chimpanzees anywhere, after sixty years of continuous research
- The trails that primate field research began on
- Arrival by private boat across Lake Tanganyika, with no road access to the park
- A forest where visitor numbers are limited by the terrain and a single lodge
- Private vehicle, guide and boat throughout, with no shared departures
Best forCouplesSolo travellersWildlife enthusiasts
Wildlife radar
What you can expect to see
June to October, when trails are drier and visibility inside the forest is at its clearest. Trekking is possible all year.
- ChimpanzeeHigh
- Olive baboonHigh
- Red colobus monkeyRare
- Blue monkeyRare
The difference
An expedition shaped by geography
Gombe cannot be scaled up. With water access only and one lodge in the park, a quiet visit is built into the place itself.
The itinerary uses that: a charter flight to Kigoma, a private boat to the shore, and the time on the trail left open to what the chimpanzees do that day.
On the map
Your route
Follow the trip from the first night to the last, by road and by air.
- Start · Day 1Dar es Salaam
- Day 2KigomaFlight from Dar es Salaam
- Day 2-3Gombe StreamBoat from Kigoma
- Day 4KigomaBoat from Gombe Stream
- End · Day 5Dar es SalaamDrive from Kigoma
Day by day
Your itinerary
Day 1
Arrival in Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
You arrive in Dar es Salaam and ease into the trip on the coast, ahead of the journey west.
- Meals
- Dinner
Day 2
Fly to Kigoma and cross to Gombe
Kigoma / Gombe National Park
A private charter flight carries you across the country to Kigoma, a lakeside town with a railway and trading-post past. From there you travel by private vehicle and a dhow-style boat across Lake Tanganyika to the camp at Gombe.
There is no road to Gombe. Visitors have arrived by boat for around six decades.
- Meals
- Full board
Day 3
A day with the chimpanzees
Gombe National Park
The expedition is built around this day. You set off at dawn on a trail that rises from the shore into the forested ridges, led by a guide who knows this community. Gombe's chimpanzees are among the best habituated in the wild, and once located you can spend up to an hour watching them.
Jane Goodall started her research in this forest in 1960, and the paths you follow are the ones her work grew from.
- Meals
- Full board
Day 4
Boat back to Kigoma
Kigoma
You cross back over the lake to Kigoma, with the forest and its chimpanzees behind you.
Kigoma Hilltop looks out over Lake Tanganyika, one of the deepest freshwater lakes in the world.
- Trail
- Kigoma Hilltop
- Meals
- Full board
Day 5
Return to Dar es Salaam
Kigoma / Dar es Salaam
A transfer to the airport and the flight back to Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Gallery
Along the route
Photo credits: fabulousfabs, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Where you stay
Choose your style of stay
Trail
Comfortable and great value
From$3,432per person
- Dar es Salaam Serena Hotel
- Mbalimbali Gombe Tented Camp
- Kigoma Hilltop
Price per person
Choose a level of stay and see what each person pays for your group size.
| Travelling together | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 2 travellers | $4,306 |
| 3 travellers | $3,869 |
| 4 travellers | $3,651 |
| 5 travellers | $3,520 |
| 6 travellers | $3,432 |
- Prices are in US dollars, per person sharing a double or twin room. Vehicle and guide costs are shared, so the price per person changes with group size and does not always fall in a straight line.
- Park fees are set by the authorities and can change, so the quote you accept is the price that applies.
What's included
- Private transfers throughout
- Return flights between Dar es Salaam and Kigoma
- Park entry and chimpanzee tracking permits
- Full board at the Gombe tented camp
- Accommodation as listed
Not included
- International flights to Dar es Salaam
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
- Personal expenses
Good to know
- Rates are quoted per person on a twin or double share basis. A solo traveller pays a single supplement, so ask for a solo rate.
- Vehicle, guide and boat costs are split across the party, so the per person price falls as the group grows.
- Lodging and rates depend on availability and can shift with your exact dates.
- National park fees are set by the government and may change without warning.
Questions
Good to know
The trails are steep and uneven in places, rising from 773 m at the lake toward ridges near 1,500 m. Finding the chimpanzees may take 30 minutes or a few hours. Good general health is usually enough, since this is an adventurous walk rather than a technical climb.
Yes. Park authorities set a minimum age and it can change, so we confirm the current rule when you book.
Up to one hour once the group is found. The cap protects the animals, and sightings at Gombe are often closer than elsewhere.
Chimpanzees share almost 99% of human DNA and catch our respiratory illnesses easily. Anyone with cold or flu symptoms will be asked to stay back, and a mask is required near the group.
June to October is the easiest season, with clearer forest. Trekking runs all year, though wet-season trails are steeper going.
Only by boat from Kigoma. There is no road.
Yes, with a single supplement for lodging.
Transfers, the flights to Kigoma and back, park and tracking fees, full board at the Gombe camp and the other lodging listed. Not covered are international flights, visas, insurance, tips and personal spending.
It combines well with Mahale Mountains for a second chimpanzee experience, or with a southern circuit safari. Ask us about options.
Gombe Chimpanzee Expedition by Lake Tanganyika
Tell us your dates and group size and we will confirm availability and a personal quote.