Gombe National Park

Gombe National Park is one of Tanzania’s most unique wildlife destinations, famous worldwide for its wild chimpanzees and its long history of primate research. Located on the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika near Kigoma, the park combines dense forest, steep hills, waterfalls and a beautiful lakeshore in a remarkably compact wilderness.

The park became internationally known through the pioneering research of Dr. Jane Goodall, who began studying Gombe’s chimpanzees in 1960. Today, guided chimpanzee trekking remains the park’s signature experience, allowing visitors to observe these intelligent primates in their natural forest habitat. Tanzania Parks

Gombe is also home to several other primates, including olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, vervet monkeys and red colobus monkeys. The forest supports rich birdlife, butterflies and a variety of smaller mammals, making the park an excellent destination for nature lovers and wildlife photographers. Tanzania Parks

Beyond chimpanzees, visitors can hike through lush forest to attractions such as Kakombe Waterfall and Jane’s Peak, where panoramic views stretch across Lake Tanganyika and the surrounding forested ridges. Boat journeys along the lake also form an important part of the Gombe experience. Tanzania Parks

Unlike most Tanzanian national parks, Gombe is primarily explored on foot rather than by safari vehicle. Its intimate trails, dramatic forest landscape and close connection with chimpanzee conservation make it an exceptional addition to a western Tanzania safari.