​Overview – Gombe NP

Philip Briggs
Expert
By Philip Briggs

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

Gombe Stream is one of the best places in Africa to track chimpanzees. First researched in the 60's by Jane Goodall, the primates are remarkably habituated. The project now ranks as the world's longest running study of any wild animal population. The experience is one that you are unlikely to forget.

Best Time To Go July to October
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 at the shore of Lake Tanganyika
  • Watching wildlife on a hike is a nice change from vehicle safaris
  • Very exclusive and not crowded
  • Difficult to get to and 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 troop of habituated olive baboon that can usually be found on the lakeshore. There are several other monkey species present, including red colobus monkey, which are sometimes hunted by the chimps.

Scenery

Gombe lies at the shore of Lake Tanganyika. The forest is lush and divided by 13 streams that run down the escarpment to the sandy beach. To swim out and look back at the way the forested slopes climb up the steep escarpment is an unforgettable experience.

Weather & Climate

Gombe has a pleasant, relatively cloudless Dry season (May to October) and a humid, stormy Wet season (November to April). One of the best things about the drier months is the absence of cold nights. The coolest it gets is around 15°C/59°F, which isn't bad. 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 during the drier months (May to October), so this is the best time to track them. And hiking through the forest is certainly easier when the tracks are firm and dry. By contrast, in the Wet season (November to April) you're more likely to slip, and the chimps require a lot more effort to find.

Want To Visit Gombe NP?

Gombe NP Safari Reviews

  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
Most Helpful Expert Review
Expert
Philip Briggs  –  
South Africa ZA

Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.

Jane Goodall’s Chimp Reserve
4/5

Tanzania’s smallest national park, set on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, is most famous for the pioneering chimpanzee research project that was initiated there by Jane Goodall in 1960, and now stands as the world’s longest-running study...

Full Review

Latest User Review
Gunnar B. Ólason  –  
Iceland IS
Reviewed: Feb 5, 2023
5/5

Meeting chimpanzees in their natural environment and be allowed to be there is beyond words. Not only that having access and being guided by the rangers, researchers, scouts and private guide is something which makes this experience out of...

Full Review