MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARKS
Mahale National Park is surely one of the most spectacular places to visit in all of Africa. This is not idle sales talk. Some would argue that it is one of the most spectacular travel destinations in the whole world. Part of this park include Lake Tanganyika which is the world’s longest lake (673 km) and is about 1½ km deep and contains about 16% of the world’s fresh water! It is second only to Lake Baikal in Russia in volume. It is the purest fresh water on the planet. The lake is home to hundreds of species of fish including the brightly colored fish known as cichlids. Hippo and crocodile are common across its full extent.
However, the forests at Mahale have a wealth of wildlife besides the 1,000 or so Chimpanzees. There are 6 species of monkey (yellow baboon, vervet, blue, red tailed, Angolan colobus and red colobus), duikers, bush pig, leopard, bushbuck, myriads of birds etc.
Activities
- Chimp watching. To get to the only habituated group of Chimps, the Group, one climbs up through the mountain forests on a network of simple cleared paths to get into touch with the chimps, and when one does the experience is extraordinary to the point of being bizarre.
The chimpanzees go on with their lives – walking, sleeping, fighting, politicking, eating etc. as if you are not there. They take virtually no notice of visitors. This is perfect, because you never feel that you are intruding.
After spending the strictly controlled 1 hour with chimps you return to your accommodation facility to wash off the sweat, have a delicious lunch and spend the rest of the day at leisure; or perhaps do one of a number of other activities.
- Kayaking
- Fishing
- Swimming and snorkeling
- Cultural visits by boat can be arranged to border communities