Mahale Mountains National Park is a remote destination in Tanzania situated along the shores of Lake Tanganyika the deepest lake in East Africa and one of the longest freshwater lakes in the world, the park gets its name from the Mahale mountain range along which stretches gazette in 1985 as a way of protecting animal species that call this home, the park is one of the 2 places of Tanzania to find Chimpanzee and uniquely it is the only place of East Africa where Lions co-exist with the great apes. The 1613 square kilometre national park rises between 770m to 2463m above sea level, it is a dream destination for many people reaching the south of Tanzania.
Mahale Mountains National Park is a biodiverse environment featuring a riverine forest, Miombo woodland along the rolling beautiful mountain range, and savannah grassland, it is home to many animal species known as the chimpanzee, other species present in the ecosystem including the black and white colobus monkeys, mongoose monkeys, zebras, giraffes, lions, red-tailed monkeys, wild dogs, roan antelopes, buffalo nocturnal lesser, yellow baboons, squirrels, duikers, and over 300species of birds have been recorded in the national park example species include palm nut vultures, living stone turaco, African fish eagles, crested guinea fowls, Ross’s turaco, giant kingfisher, crowned eagles, hornbills to mention a few.
Things to do in Mahale National Park include chimpanzee tracking, which is one of the main reasons why guests reach out to the park, the activity begins in the morning with a briefing from park rangers on how to behave while interacting face-to-face with man’s closet relatives, the primates have been scientifically proven to share up to 98% of the human DNA, there is a habituated gorilla group known as the group spending time with the primates is a memorable experience while in the national park.
Hiking mountain Mahale, the mountain range is usually hiked for chimpanzees however it also gives thrilling adventures for great hikers, Among the peaks on the range of mountain is the hike, and visitors enjoy the amazing scenery of the mountains.
Take a boat around Lake Tanganyika, which is the longest freshwater lake in East Africa, it is an incredible lake in East Africa, and spotting the sandy beaches of East Africa together with clear waters is such a great thing to do. Travellers can engage in activities like Kayaking, boat safaris, and sport fishing to mention a few.
Birding in Mahale National Park, it is a beautiful experience to go birding in the forested area of the conservation area, there are over 300 species of birds that have been recorded in the national park to date expect to see birds like African fish eagles, African harrier hawks, egrets, hornbills, and pelicans to mention a few.
Mahale National Park can be visited all year round but is best during the dry season between the months of December -February and June- September, the trails of the park are much drier, and grasses tend to be shorter and hence easy to participate in tourism activities. The wet season on the other hand is a beautiful time to visit the park more so for travelers interested in the birding experience, it is a fruiting time of the park and hence migratory species.
Mahale National Park receives fewer visitors all year round compared to other national parks in Tanzania, it is so beautiful, quiet, and mystical in one place, visitors can reach the park from Dar-es-salaam or Julius Nyerere National Parkto Kigoma town, and from here you will be transferred to the park by boat it takes 1 hour 30 minutes to the park.
There is available accommodation in the national park ranging from the best budget to luxury, Examples of facilities include Mbali Mbali Mahale Lodge, Greystoke Mahale Lodge, and Mahale Mango bandas, to mention a few.
In conclusion, Mahale National Park gives memorable experiences to guests who reach out to the national park, it can be visited alongside other national parks to the south of Tanzania like the Gombe Stream National Park.