Mahale mountains national park
Mahale mountains national park is one of the national parks in Tanzania that is located in the remote South Western part of the country. Mahale national park also known as Mahale mountains national park. Its lies along the shores of the African deepest lake that is Lake Tanganyika in Kigoma region. This is one of the two national parks in Tanzania with Chimpanzees the other is its neighboring Gombe Stream national park. The chimpanzees were habituated by the great researcher Jane Goodall. This is one of the parks in Tanzania that can be explored by foot as you hike on the slopes of the mountains.
The park was named after the highest mountain in the park called Mt Mahale. It also borders a wide range of mountains that give the remote park more scenic beauty. Mahale mountains national park is a home of the largest population of Chimpanzees in Tanzania. This park is the only park in Africa where lions share the same national parks with Chimpanzees. Mahale National Park is so remote that there are no roads inside the park that a car can pass hence making it only be explored by foot. Even accessing the park is more hard infact its only accessed by use of the boat through lake Tanganyika and then walk.
Mahale mountains national park was established in 1985 covering total land area of 1613 square kilometers. The total area is dominated by the Mahale Mountains that cover more area leaving limited space for the open grasslands where the lions are found. It also cut short by the world’s deepest lake Tanganyika. In 1961 the great primate researcher from Japan by names Goodall visited the park through the shores of Lake Tanganyika and established their camp in the province of Kansyana. All the roads that lead to the park stop around the nearest Kigoma town hence making the park one of the most difficult park to access though it has the excellent game viewing that can be done throughout the year.
How to reach Mahale national park
To access the park is not very hard as it is thought by many people however much there are no direct roads that link the park to the interior of Tanzania. The park can be accessed through two ways those are:
- By air
There are daily flights from Arusha to Katavi or Ruaha then connect to Kigoma town by car then walk to the park
- The second option is by boat
One can use a boat that connects from Kigoma through lake Tanganyika and sail by the Dhow which takes you directly to the park gate.
These are the only two ways of accessing Mahale mountains national park, you will enjoy the best wildlife experience in this remote national park
Attractions in Mahale mountains national park
The park is gifted with great number of attractions that are worth exploitation by guests who truly wants to see the rich of Africa. The park is composed of both wildlife and cultures with great different cultures.
Chimpanzees
Mahale mountains national park is among the two national parks in Tanzania where travelers can experience the first moving primates the Chimpanzees. The park has the highest population of Chimpanzees in Tanzania with over 1700 chimpanzees been recorded at the park. The park is also famous with over 8 primate species that it homes including the rare Yellow baboons, Olive baboons, red tailed Monkey, red Columbus monkey, Blue monkey and many others.
Like any other parks in the world with primate world you have to pay the trekking fees in order to aces the experience. One has to follow the regulations for Chimpanzee trekking like children below the age of 12 years are not allowed to trek chimpanzees, Only a group of 6 people are allowed to visit specific Chimpanzee group. The longest time you must spend with the chimpanzee after meeting them is 3 hours only at most though the maximum time allowed is one hour.
Birds
Mahale mountains national park is dominated by different vegetation types which inhabit different bird species. Its recorded that the park has over 300 bird species that can be viewed any time of the year. Out of this bird species guests have mostly explored up to 80%. The majority of the birds at this park are forest bird species which some are quite difficult to spot due to poor network of accessibility inside the park.The quietness of the park has made it very easy for the guests to view birds, the regulation of the number of visitors has helped much. The Northern part of the park around the Kabezi area is considered to be the best birding area. The list of birds include: African fish eagle, Giant Kingfisher, Livingstone turaco, Crested Guineafowl, Palm-nut vulture, Crowned Eagle, Ross turaco, Scaly Francolin. Trumpeter hornbill, Bamboo warbler, Vieillot’s black weaver among others.
Animals
However when you say Mahale mountains national park evey ones minds runs to Chiomapzees and other primates little do many travelers know that this park habits more animals other than primate species. The park is one of the fgew gifted national parks due to different eco systems that is found in the park. The park supports a wide range of diversity that includes forests, open savannah, wetlands and lakes. These different diversities has made the park to inhabit more different animals like Lions, Giraffes, Squirrels, Elephats, Sable Antelopes, Buffaloes, Kudus, Roan antelopes, African wild dogs and others. Mahale national park is among the few parks where primates share the same park with other wildlife. Visiting this park gives a guest a chance to kill two birds using one Stone.
Mountains
Mahale mountains national park got its name from the famous and largest mountain at the park called Mt Mahale. The park was named after this mountain and its one of the key attractions at the park. Travelers who like great challenge come for hiking as they prepare for the great hike for higher mountains like in Kilimanjaro. The mountains is a home of the 9 different species of primates like Monkeys, Chimpanzees and Baboons. The mountains provide scenic views of the park and great bisrding experience.
Fish
Mahale national park boasts with over 200 species of fish that are found the world’s deepest lake. Lake Tanganyika has more fish species, fishing at the lake for tourists is done inspecific designated areas for sport fishing only. There are guides that will take you through this remote national park. All fishing activities are booked in advanced with the permits got from the Tanzania National park Authority headquarters.
Do you want to experience unique wildlife experience please donot miss Mahale national park. This is the only remixed park where you can see African big five family member’s only missing leopards and Rhinos. 9 primate species and over 300 bird species found at the park.
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