​Overview – Gombe NP

Philip Briggs
Expert
By Philip Briggs

Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many guidebooks to African destinations, including the Bradt guide to Tanzania.

Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of the Bradt guidebook to Tanzania.

Philip is the author of the Bradt guidebook to Tanzania.

Set on the shore of scenic Lake Tanganyika, forested Gombe National Park is one of the best places in Africa to track chimpanzees. Originally habituated by Jane Goodall in the 1960s, the chimps of Gombe now form the subject of the world’s longest-running study of a wild animal population. Observing these fascinating apes, which are our closest living genetic cousins, in the wild is a truly unforgettable experience.

Best Time To Go July to October (Best time to find chimps)
High Season July to October (Gombe never gets crowded)
Size 52km² / 20mi²
Altitude 767-1,606m / 2,516-5,269ft

Pros & Cons

  • A chance to come face-to-face with chimps
  • Pristine forest rising from the shore of the world’s longest and second-deepest lake
  • Watching wildlife on a hike is a nice change from vehicle safaris
  • Very exclusive and not crowded
  • Remote from Tanzania’s other parks and relatively difficult to get to
  • Accommodation options are limited

Gombe NP Safari Reviews

  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding

Wildlife

Gombe’s chimps are the main attraction, but the park is also home to a habituated troop of olive baboon that can usually be found on the lakeshore. Several other monkey species are present, notably the endangered Ugandan red colobus, which is sometimes hunted by chimps.

Scenery

Gombe lies on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, which is the world’s second-largest freshwater lake by volume and the longest on the planet at 675km/420mi. Within the park, 13 streams run down from the forested escarpment to the sandy beach. Swim out into the lake to look back at how the forested slopes climb the steep Rift Valley escarpment.

Activities

The main reason most people visit Gombe is to track chimpanzees in their natural habitat, and this is far and away the most popular activity in the park. Chimp tracking aside, guided walks along the forest paths offer an opportunity to see other primates and birds, and to enjoy the lovely tropical scenery.

Weather & Climate

Gombe has a pleasant, relatively cloudless Dry season (May to October) and a humid, stormy Wet season (November to April). Due to the proximity to the equator, temperatures are quite uniform throughout the year (around 26°C/79°F during the day and 18°C/64°F at night). A lot of water can get dumped on the park when the rains come, but these usually arrive late in the day and don't last long.

Best Time To Visit

The chimps tend to stick to the lower slopes of the escarpment from July to October (the middle and end of the Dry season), so this is the best time to track them. Hiking through the forest is also much easier when the tracks are firm and dry. By contrast, in the Wet season (November to April) the forest paths tend to be slippery underfoot, and it usually requires a lot more effort to find chimps.

Want To Visit Gombe NP?

17 Gombe Chimp Tours

Gombe NP Safari Reviews

  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
Most Helpful Expert Review
Expert
Stuart Butler  –  
United Kingdom UK

Stuart is a travel writer and author of numerous Lonely Planet guidebooks, including 'Kenya', 'Rwanda' and 'Tanzania'.

Jane Goodall’s Chimpanzees
3/5

If you’re reading this then you’re probably trying to decide which of Tanzania’s two ‘chimpanzee parks’ (the other being Mahale Mountains) to visit. The answer probably comes down to simply how much time you have available and,...

Full Review

Latest User Review
Alessandro  –  
Spain ES
Reviewed: Feb 29, 2024
4/5

Amazing park and chimps, although The two hour journey by boat could be an adventure in case or bad weather. Regarding the organisation: Don't book the luxury tents. I booked and paid for one and they didn't give me, as it was "already...

Full Review