Gombe National Park

Gombe National Park only covers an area of 56 km2 and is Tanzania’s smallest national park. Gombe is made up of a thin ancient forest along the steeps slopes and river valleys on the edges of the northern shore of Lake Tanganyika. The park is located on the western border of Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo; about 16 km from Kigoma town.

Gombe’s main attraction is the chimpanzees that live protected within its boundaries; the chimps are habituated to human visitors. The chimpanzees were made popular by Jane Goodall who in 1960 founded a research program to study endangered chimpanzees in this area. The research program still stands today and it is the longest of its kind.

In addition to the chimpanzees, you will also see troops of beachcomber olive baboons, the fish eagle and about 200 other species of birds. Leopards and bushbucks also reside inside the dense forests of Gombe.

Activities in Gombe include chimpanzee tracking and visits to Jane’s Peak, Kakombe Waterfalls and Mkenke Waterfalls. You will also visit Jane Goodall’s old chimp feeding station and take a walking safari along the shore of Lake Tanganyika.

The chimpanzees do not roam very far during the rains season, hence they are easier to find; the drier months offer better photographic opportunities though.

Popular activities inside Gombe National Park

• Chimpanzee Tracking
• Walking Safaris
• Bird Watching

Gombe’s main attraction is the chimpanzees that live within its boundaries. Inside Gombe, you can walk to Jane’s Peak, Kakombe Waterfalls, and Mkenke Waterfalls. Watch many species of birds; over 200 birds species reside inside Gombe.