Gombe Stream National Park
The smallest national park in Tanzania, a strip of forest on Lake Tanganyika where Jane Goodall began her chimpanzee study.
Saved in this browser only - no account, nothing sent anywhere. See your map
Gombe is a narrow band of forest and steep valleys running from the shore of Lake Tanganyika up an escarpment, and it is the smallest of Tanzania's national parks. Jane Goodall arrived here in 1960 and the chimpanzee study she started has run continuously since, making it the longest continuous study of any wild animal population. Chimpanzee trekking is the reason people come; the same forest holds red colobus, olive baboons and red-tailed monkeys.
What you actually see
- The chimpanzees - habituated groups followed on foot from the shore up the valleys.
- The Goodall research - the longest continuous study of a wild animal population.
- Kakombe Falls - a waterfall in the forest above the lakeshore.
- The lake shore - clear water and beaches at the foot of the escarpment.
When to go
The dry months from June to October give the easiest walking, though chimps range higher then. The wet season brings them lower but the trails are slippery. Trekking permits are limited daily.
Honest expectations
Access is by boat only and the crossing from Kigoma takes hours. Trekking is steep and hot with no guarantee of finding the chimps. Permits, park fees and boat charter make it expensive for a small park.
Nearby
Kigoma is south, and Ujiji is beyond it.
What to pack for Gombe Stream National Park
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
