$495 pp (USD)
2 travelers on Start dateThis Tour Is Offered By
Nahum Joshua Nnko
Gombe Wild Chimp Safari
- Office In:
- Size:
- 10-20 employees (Founded in 2005)
- Tour Types:
- Small & medium group tours (Budget & mid-range)
- Destinations:
-
BIRWTZUGZM
Gombe Safari offers safaris in Tanzania that cater for small or large groups as well as individuals. We’ll provide you with your desired itinerary and any optional activities you may require, and can assist you in creating the perfect lodge safari, luxury or classic tented safari, as well as budget camping adventures.
Reviews73
ES
Great chimpanzee experience and beautiful stay, despite some logistics to improve
We booked a 3-night package to Gombe including chimpanzee tracking. Overall, it was a very positive and highly recommendable experience, even though we had to deal with some unexpected logistical issues along the way.
First of all, we are very grateful to the company for being understanding of our situation and allowing us to change our travel dates. Communication was generally smooth, except for a few specific moments due to external factors. Also, our itinerary had to be adjusted a few days before departure due to changes in Air Tanzania's internal flights, which the company managed very well.
Our driver, Hussein, was excellent and very professional during both transfers in Kigoma. He was polite and shared interesting information about Kigoma during the drives.
However, we did face some unexpected organization issues. Our assigned guide, Salmin, turned out to be the cook, meaning we traveled without an actual guide. On the positive side, the meals he prepared throughout the trip were very good.
After a 2-hour boat ride from Kigoma, we arrived in Gombe only to find out that our requested accommodation had not been reserved. Fortunately, a very helpful park Ranger contacted the company, and they resolved the issue quickly. The mid-range tented camp was fantastic—located just a meter from the lake shore, with a very comfortable bed and a private bathroom, although it lacked hot water. Be aware that mobile coverage is very limited, which makes communication difficult.
The main downside was missing our first scheduled chimpanzee tracking. The boat captain stated he did not have enough fuel to take us to the starting point and still complete the rest of the 3-day trip. We tried to manage this with Salmin, but since he wasn't a guide, it was not possible. We had to contact the manager, Joshua, directly to ask him to speak with the captain and find a solution. After some discussions, the afternoon was gone and we missed the trek, but Joshua did guarantee the remaining two sessions. Instead of the tracking, we did a nice hike to the waterfall with a Ranger.
The next two days went perfectly. The chimpanzee trackings were a wonderful experience, and we truly enjoyed seeing them in the wild from a very close distance. On the second afternoon, we also walked up to Jane’s Peak with a Ranger. On the third day, we had lunch after the tracking and returned to Kigoma by boat. Upon arrival, Hussein took us to the Livingstone Museum in Ujiji, which was a fine visit. We spent the last night at a hotel, and the driver picked us up early the next morning for our flight.
Summary:
The company adapted well to unforeseen circumstances before the trip. However, the few issues that occurred after our arrival required our direct intervention to be fixed. Out of all the contracted services, we missed the first tracking but thoroughly enjoyed the rest. The accommodation in Gombe is beautiful and seeing the chimps is an unforgettable experience. I would definitely repeat this trip. I would only advise the company to pay more attention to ensuring contracted services are met and to communicate any potential issues beforehand to find solutions together.
Seamless gateway to an up close chimp experience
This was definitely a highlight of our trip to Tanzania. The guides and trackers did a fantastic job scouting out where the chimps were that day and leading us to the locations.
The lodging location was right at the Jane Goodall center where chimp research is done. There is not a lot of activity here, but there is a small bar that was sometimes open and who could sell us a beer or two during the trip.
A few notes for awareness - some of the hiking to get to the chimps is very steep; you will likely be going through branches, tall grass, etc. as you follow chimps through; and your hike times for the day could vary greatly based on where you find the chimps. But it was great - we got (2) 1 hour sessions watching and following the chimps in very close proximity, plus some accidental chimp trekking from going to Goodall Peak. It sounds short, but it was actually a lot of time!
GWCS assigned a chef for our entire time at the park, and he kept us well fed. We had quite a few people dedicated to our trip - there were 2 private boat operators that were with us the entire time - they took us up the lake to the park and back, but also would take us in the boat further along the park to do our trek depending on where the chimps were. We had a main guide and junior guide who were dedicated to just the two of us during our treks, and there was also a chimp tracker dedicated to us that was out starting at 6 am to follow the chimps around and track their location so we could see them. Make sure to bring tips for all of these excellent private staff!
The lodging choice on the kigoma side was adequate (but we probably would have chosen the Hilltop lodge if we went again).
One slight downside is somewhat outside control of GWCS - because flights are limited, there is a risk that a cancellation could affect your travel plans, and certain timings of flight is can make for a lot of downtime. Both happened to us - we ended up having an entire day of downtime at our hotel, and we were delayed in Kigoma an extra night due to a late cancellation here. GWCS was great in communication on this last item in particular, and we were able to get out the next morning and on to the rest of our journey.
Unresponsive and elusive
I was in contact with the owner Joshua throughout the process. I inquired about a 3 day chimpanzee trekking tour with 2 other travelers. I liked the itinerary and made a deposit. I had various questions and he was unresponsive. I had to follow up 2 or 3 times for him to respond which he was a red flag. My flight into Kigoma was canceled, so I should have been able to request a 50% refund of the deposit I made per their refund policy , as it was over 30 days prior to the trip. When I requested it, He never responded. I followed up various times without a response. Effectively, the refund I was owed was not given to me. I do not recommend this company if you plan on going on holiday unless you want to deal with an unresponsive and elusive owner.
Reply from Gombe Wild Chimp Safari
Posted on Oct 14, 2025Hello Oscar.
I think the review is not okay for us because we respect our customers and are not SCAMMERS.
I contacted Oscar, and I told him everything about what happened. I didn't ignore HIS emails, or we had no intention of refusing to refund 50% of your discount; no, the issue was that our original email address we were using for communication had a challenge where if anyone wrote an email to us, the message would not be seen inbox/Spam or anywhere else. I contacted Oscar via another email address in order to make sure everything was fine. So finally, the money was refunded on time, and HE admitted that he had received it.
So I apologise for all that happened, Gombe Wild Chimp Safari are not a scammer, we respect our customers and give them great value because our customers are kings.
Kindly see our conversation below.
Hello Oscar,
Sorry for being silent for a long time. I am using this email address because the original email address we were using to communicate has been having problems receiving emails for a long time now. Once someone sends us an email, we don't receive it because not seen in the INBOX. It's a problem that has been bothering us for about a month without us knowing.
We ask for your forgiveness if you have written many emails that have not reached us and have not been answered/replied to. So I admit that the problem was a technical problem and not me or our company, and that is why, after discovering this challenge, I thought it would be better for us to continue communicating at this new email address while our IT continues to resolve the problem.
According to the refund, you paid $490.9
50% of that amount is $245.45. This is the amount we should refund you.
How can we send this amount?
You can also contact me on WhatsApp number +255756066577.
Thank you very much, and sorry for the inconvenience caused.
POP
2025-10-07 23:18:30.030 LocalOutAcks-7189-002129
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Date : 2025-10-07T00:00:00.000+03:00
Amount : #USD245.45#
:33B: USD245.45
:50K: Ordering Customer-Name & Address
0250430851900
GOMBE WILD CHIMP SAFARI
MJI MWEMA STREET KIGOMA, TANZAN 255
:59: Beneficiary Customer-Name & Addr
1355922703
OSCAR ALVARENGA
1680 CAPITAL ONE MCLEAN VA 22102 US, A
:70: Remittance Information
REFUND
:71A: Details of Charges
SHA
:71F: USDUSD46,61
Oscar Alvarenga
Fri, Oct 10, 1:25 AM (4 days ago)
to me
Yes, I received it. Thank you for refunding it.
Sent from my iPhone
CA
Once in a lifetime experience!
As a solo female traveller I try my best to research operators and itineraries. That said- I am notoriously a last minute booker.
Gombe Safaris took on my very last minute request and fulfilled all/any expectations. Communication was concise and prompt. I felt the price was fair and competitive for the region and experience. The food was delicious (large portions and variety! As a vegetarian they had no issue accommodating my meals.
I stayed in the mid range tent in the National Park and was more than comfortable. Transport was safe and without issue.
The chimp trekking experienced was flawless. Considering I only had one full day (I had a late flight the day before that got me into the park after dark), I feel like I was able to experience the true heart of Gombe.
It was inspiring to see first hand the decades of chimpanzee conservation efforts thriving. Overall a really memorable experience. I wish my schedule allowed me to stay longer but I was thankful that I found an operator to take me on a last minute customizable journey.
Absolutely Amazing!!!
There are not enough adjectives to describe my safari experience. It was absolutely amazing, and by far one of the best experiences I have had in my lifetime. I booked a Chimpanzee Trek with Joshua from Gombe Wild Chimp Safaris for my 65th birthday. Joshua responded very quickly to any questions and I had and made the planning of this trip very easy, from start to finish. He even reached out to me after I had returned home to insure everything was satisfactory.
My guide, Samje, was waiting for me upon my arrival at the Kigoma Airport was and was available to me throughout the 4 day safari. After a 2 hour boat ride up Lake Tanganyika, we (boat captain and assistant, private chef and guide) arrived at the camp. After a short briefing, Samje and I headed out on our first trek. We saw several chimps the first day. The second day we had rain but it did not deter the chimpanzees from coming out. We saw at least 20 chimpanzees both the 2nd and 3rd day. Many times they even walked right in front of us. My greatest pleasure was watching the babies/toddlers playing. Samje was extremely knowledgeable about chimpanzee behavior and it definitely added to the experience, learning about termite fishing, mating, the different calls they make, etc. Samje also showed me Jane Goodall's house, and he took me on a trek to Jane's Peak and to the waterfall.
The accommodations were great. I stayed at the Kasekela tented camp and had everything I needed. The camp is in a remote area right on the banks of Lake Tanganyika. The water in the lake is crystal clear. The camp has hot water and solar powered electricity. The food was excellent! I was even surprised by a wonderful birthday dinner and birthday cake, along with a bonfire, music and singing. What an incredible birthday gift!
On the afternoon of the 3rd day we took the boat back to Kigoma. We went on a tour of the Livingstone Museum Memorial and then Samje delivered me to my hotel with instructions for an early morning pickup tot he airport.
I highly recommend using Gombe Wild Chimp Safaris to anyone considering a chimpanzee trek. Joshua and his staff are absolutely amazing and made sure I had the best best chimp viewing experience. Thank you so much!!!
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4-Day Jane Goodall Chimpanzee Trekking Gombe
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3-Day Dae Es Salaam to Gombe Chimpanzee Trekking
$935 pp (USD)
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5-Day Unforgettable Chimps Trekking - Gombe
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![4-Day Mahale Chimpanzee Trekking]()
4-Day Mahale Chimpanzee Trekking
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![8-Day Incredible Safari and Gombe Chimpanzee Trekking]()
8-Day Incredible Safari and Gombe Chimpanzee Trekking
$4,829 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Tarangire NP, Serengeti NP, Dar es Salaam (City), Gombe NP, Dar es Salaam Airport (Dar es Salaam), Zanzibar (End)
