Overview
Gombe is Tanzania’s smallest national park and one of its most famous. Its chimpanzees have been studied for decades, and treks follow forested valleys down to Lake Tanganyika.
Gombe is one of Tanzania’s smallest national parks, a strip of steep, forested valleys on the shore of Lake Tanganyika. It is where Jane Goodall began her chimpanzee research in 1960, the longest-running study of wild chimpanzees.
Chimp treks start close to the lake, and you can also see olive baboons, red colobus and red-tailed monkeys, and swim from the beach.
Highlights
- Famous chimpanzee families
- Lake Tanganyika shoreline
- Rich research history
- Forest waterfalls
Things to do here
Wildlife to look for
- Chimpanzee
- Olive baboon
- Red-tailed monkey
- Red colobus
Good to know
Best time to visit
June – October
Getting there
Fly to Kigoma, then about 1–2 hours by boat on Lake Tanganyika.
Where to stay
A simple lakeside tented camp or the park rest house.
How long to stay
2 nights
Key facts
- Size
- About 52 km², one of Tanzania’s smallest national parks
- Research
- Chimpanzee study begun by Jane Goodall in 1960
- Access
- Fly to Kigoma, then a boat on Lake Tanganyika
Seasons
Dry season (June – October)
Easier walking on the steep trails.
Rainy months
Chimpanzees are often closer to the lake, but trails are slippery.
Practical tips
- Trekking groups are small and time with the chimpanzees is limited, to protect them.
Questions about Gombe Stream National Park
June – October.
More places nearby
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