The ultimate safari holiday has become legendary when traveling through the paradise Mecca of Tanzania. A stimulation overload, this East African country thrives on spell-binding scenery, diverse wildlife, and a favourable climate ensuring that travelers enjoy the perfect African sojourn. Amongst Tanzania’s top attractions are its national parks, which are home to a wide range of animals, birds, and exotic plants.
One of the more sought-after animals to track is undoubtedly the chimpanzee with the likes of the Gombe Stream National Park and the Mahale Mountains National Park the ideal venues from which to view them. Through various studies, chimpanzees have been shown to share about 98% of their genes with human beings, making them of even more interest to follow. Gombe Stream is the smallest of Tanzania’s parks, but has been made famous by the pioneering efforts of Jane Goodall’s work with chimpanzees.
Today, Goodall’s study is the longest running behavioural research program of its kind, with the only remaining member of the original study, Fifi, still present in Gombe Stream for visitors to view. The intriguing Mahale Mountains is home to some of Africa’s last remaining wild chimpanzees with their numbers standing at approximately 800 members. Tracking these wild chimps is a truly wonderful venture, with trained, efficient guides leading visitors down the trails left by the animals.
This is a very special moment for the group as they find themselves in the midst of the chimps going about their business in their own natural environment. There are a number of operators in both the Gombe Stream and Mahale Mountains parks which specialize in these chimp tracking expeditions to ensure that visitors enjoy every second of their memorable adventure.