Gombe, at 52 sq km, on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, is Tanzania’s smallest park. It is an oblong strip of rugged, mountainous terrain dominated by many steep-sided ridges and valleys. The scenery in Gombe is stunning, with most of the 16 major valleys containing swift streams that flow all year. The streams provide the larger mammals with drinking water, which is of great importance during dry months because some of the local fauna do not frequent the lake shore. The area is covered by a complex mosaic of vegetation types, with rolling grasslands on the ridge crests, open semi-deciduous woodlands on the steep slopes, and thick evergreen forests along the valley floors.
Gombe Forest Lodge is located in Gombe Stream national park on Lake Tanganyika in the extreme west of Tanzania. This mid-range camp is the only sensible place to stay in the park.
Although Gombe Stream does have slightly lighter restrictions on the amount of time that visitors can spend with the chimps, the reserve is generally considered to be a far less desirable location than Mahale Mountains further down the lake.
The fact that it is also accessed by boat from Kigoma makes it far less convenient for the majority of our guests, who are able to fly directly between Arusha and Mahale.
