National Parks Africa » Gombe National Park

Gombe National Park was established in 1968 and covers an area of 52 square kilometres (20 square miles). From the lake shore to the ridge tops ranges between 770 and 1,440 metres (2,525 and 4,723 feet) with an average annual rainfall of 1,000 mm (39 inches). This park can be reached in 40 minutes by speedboat from Kigoma. Alternative transport by water taxi takes between four and six hours.

Even so, Gombe National Park is relatively easier to get to than Mahale and has numerous other primates in addition to chimps: olive baboons, red colobus, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys and vervet monkeys. Another common primate has very important effects on this little park: Homo sapiens.

Human beings live on all sides of Gombe except for the lake. Even here, many fishermen come to spread out their catch of small dagaa fish (a bit like white bait) to dry on the shore. Poaching and encroaching are major problems.

A boat ride along the impressively big Lake Tanganyika is a memorable part of a visit to Gombe. But there is so much more: lush vegetation, beautiful birds, butterflies and other insects, wildlife, helpful rangers and researchers and, above all, the thrill of meeting chimpanzees face to face in their natural habitat. You can swim in the lake and go snorkeling to look for the many aquarium fish that come from this lake.