WC02 – Mahale Chimpanzee Safari

Note that flights from Mahale to Ruaha are twice a week only: Monday & Thursday

Dar es Salaam - Kigoma town

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Kigoma Town. On arrival meet and transfer to Kigoma town where you will check-in at your hotel. Evening you can have a guided city tour that will take you through the local market, Tanzania railway station and MV-Liemba.

Day 2: Kigoma town to Mahale Mountains National Park

Breakfast at your accommodation, then leave with packed lunch and drive 195km which may take about 6 hours depending on road conditions to Mahale Mountains National park at the PARK HQ. On arrival, you board the fibreglass boat for 30 minutes to your accommodation place. Evening leisure at the beach on Lake Tanganyika. A unique feature of Mahale is that there are three different biotopes and the diverse wildlife which goes with them. You can see the tropical rainforest, savanna, and miombo forest wildlife. The evening takes a boat to visit the Hippo pool and sunset over the Lake Tanganyika.

Day 3: Chimpanzee Tracking in Mahale Mountains National Park

You will have morning and afternoon chimpanzee tracking in the forest. The park is mainly famous for housing some of the last remaining wild Chimpanzees in the world. There are between 700 to 1,000 chimps in Mahale divided into different communities. The habituated Mimikere community studied by the Japanese since 1965 presently has about 80 Chimpanzees and its territory are close to the area where you will overnight. The evening proceeds with the hike to the mountains to search for other forest primates such as vervet, blue, red-tailed and red colobus. The endemic Angolan black and white colobus is found in the montane forest on the higher slopes. More than 200 species of birds have been recorded in the park
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Day 4: 2nd Chimpanzee Tracking in Mahale Mountains National Park

After breakfast, you will track more chimpanzees in the forest. The park is also known for forest and water birds. These include the crowned eagle, scaly francolin, crested guinea fowl, Ross’s turaco, giant kingfisher, and the globally threatened Kungwe Apalis. Evening you can swim at the beach of Lake Tanganyika.
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Day 5: Mahale Mountains National Park - Ruaha National Park

After breakfast, transfer by boat to the airstrip for your light aircraft to Ruaha National Park, lunch will be at the lodge there. Evening short game drives in the park or relaxation at and around your lodgings.

Day 6: Full Day Game Drive in Ruaha National Park

Look out for roan and sable antelope, hippo, crocodile, waterbuck, reedbuck, and buffalo venturing to the river’s edge to drink. This attracts the attention of the lion, leopard, hyena, wild dog and jackal. There are many antelopes including the cute little Dik-dik. There are many birds in the park including Eurasian migrants that visit the park each year.

Day 7: Ruaha National Park - Dar es Salaam

Early morning, after breakfast, you transfer back to Dar es Salaam, where you will arrive late evening at the agreed drop off point.

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• All activities as per the itinerary
• All Accommodation as per itinerary – N.B. accommodation mentioned in the itinerary is dependent on availabilty at the time of booking; alternatives of a similar class may be booked instead
• All meals as per itinerary (3 a day unless otherwise stated)
• All transfers to and from agreed pick up and drop off points (e.g. Airport, Bus Station or hotel in town etc)
• All camping gear (if you are camping)
• Service of an English speaking driver/guide
• Safari base 4×4 Vehicle with open roof for game viewing (sometimes a saloon car or other SUV for excursions in town etc.)
• Driver’s salary and allowances and park fees for vehicle and driver
• Bottled mineral water daily
• All Government taxes
• All National Park and Game Reserve Fees
• If included in your itinerary: foot safaris, boat safaris
• TANAPA armed ranger (where needed, eg. on foot safaris, some boat safaris etc.)
• Crater service fees (if visiting Ngorongoro Crater)
• Inland flight fares (if that is part of your itinerary)
• Train fares (if that is part of your itinerary)
• Boat fares (if your itinerary icludes a boat journey in Tanzanian Waters)

• Extras, personal expenses i.e. drinks, telephone, laundry etc.
• Optional activities not outlined on the itinerary
• International flights & corresponding taxes
• Visa
• Flying doctors rescue services
• Travel, medical, injury and luggage insurances
• Tips to the driver & guides
• Anything else not mentioned in the inclusions (above).