Gombe National Park sits on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania — a narrow strip of protected forest surrounded by steep hills, valleys and the deep blue waters of the lake. Unlike Tanzania’s famous savannah parks, Gombe is not a Big Five destination; its greatest attraction is its population of wild chimpanzees and the chance to observe them on foot, in their natural forest environment.
Gombe is internationally associated with the pioneering chimpanzee research of Jane Goodall, whose work began here in 1960 and transformed scientific understanding of chimpanzee behaviour. Today, visitors can walk through the same forests where decades of research have taken place.
Walk with trained guides through forest trails, hills and valleys in search of wild chimpanzee communities, observed from a safe, regulated distance.
Goodall’s research, beginning here in 1960, became one of the longest-running studies of wild chimpanzees and reshaped primatology worldwide.
One of the world’s great freshwater lakes borders the park directly, framing forest trails with deep blue water and spectacular sunrises and sunsets.
Gombe’s terrain of valleys, streams and dense vegetation is a world away from Tanzania’s open plains — active, immersive and on foot.
Red-tailed and blue monkeys, olive baboons, forest birds and Lake Tanganyika’s hippos add depth to every forest walk.
Gombe remains an active research site, offering travellers a rare window into wildlife science alongside the safari experience.
Gombe’s wild chimpanzee communities have been studied for generations, offering unmatched insight into their social behaviour, tool use and family life.
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Highly active and mostly arboreal, red-tailed monkeys are distinctive for their reddish tail markings and contrasting facial features.
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Forest-dwelling monkeys with greyish-blue colouring and distinctive facial features, often seen feeding on fruit and leaves in the canopy.
Highly social and organised in groups, olive baboons spend much of their time on the ground, making them easy to observe during forest walks.
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Shy, secretive antelope that favour forest edges and dense vegetation — a quiet approach and a sharp-eyed guide improve your chances of a sighting.
Found in Lake Tanganyika’s waters and along the shoreline, hippos spend most of the day submerged, emerging onto land during cooler periods.
Gombe can only be reached by boat. The typical route runs from Kigoma, across Lake Tanganyika, to the park itself — a journey that’s part of the adventure, with open lake views and the forested hills rising ahead.
Lake Tanganyika is one of the world’s great freshwater lakes, known for its exceptional depth and biodiversity. It borders Gombe directly, making the park especially scenic at sunrise and sunset.
Visitors walk through the forest with trained guides in search of wild chimpanzee communities — following calls, nests, footprints, broken branches and feeding signs through hills and valleys.
Once located, chimpanzees may be seen feeding, grooming, resting, playing or moving through the canopy. Every trek is different: some encounters are brief, others offer extended time to observe.
Tropical forest, streams and lakeside habitats make Gombe a rewarding stop for birdwatchers, with many species identified by call before they’re seen.
Fish Eagles
Palm-Nut Vultures
Hornbills
Turacos
Sunbirds
Kingfishers & Barbets
Dense canopy providing shelter and food for chimpanzees, monkeys and forest birds across steep, valleyed terrain.
Open pockets within the forest offer contrast and support a wider range of plant and animal life.
The stream that gives the park its name winds through the landscape, crossed by many of the main hiking trails.
The eastern shoreline of one of Africa’s great lakes borders the park, home to hippos and framing spectacular views.
Gombe can be visited throughout the year. June–October (dry season) generally offers the most comfortable trekking conditions; November–February brings greener scenery and rewarding bird activity; March–May (long rains) can make trails muddy, so travellers should be prepared for wet, flexible schedules.
The park’s signature experience — walk through the forest with guides searching for wild chimpanzee communities.
Explore beyond chimpanzee trekking on trails through streams, valleys, viewpoints and waterfalls.
Enjoy the lake by boat, with beautiful views over the water and Gombe’s forested shoreline.
Gombe works well as a standalone chimpanzee-trekking trip via Kigoma, or as part of a longer Western Tanzania itinerary — often paired with Zanzibar for a beach finish.
Wild chimpanzee trekking, forested hills, Jane Goodall’s legacy and the shores of Lake Tanganyika — let’s build a Gombe itinerary around your interests, travel style and available time.
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