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Gombe Ecosystem
Gombe Stream National Park - Contents Table
The discussion on Gombe National Park would have to encompass the many aspects of the surroundings of the park, which would include the soil, Lake Tanganyika, physical geology, vegetation and the bio-diversity. AfricanMecca discusses each aspect independently to provide clients identifying aspects that could make them better understand and appreciate Gombe's offerings.
Soil and Rocks At Gombe National Park: Upon entering Gombe, first time guests are surprised to the see that Gombe has a combination of wildlife and beach experience that they did not know of. The rocks and soil at the beach are beige-white with fine granular size and the sands being a little coarse than what would normally be found on the Indian Ocean beaches but this would be understandable because of a lack on attrition process, normally strong tidal waves that would break them down faster. The rocks found on the hills and valleys are ancient genesis being worn out gradually over the centuries by the flowing streams that run through the park. The hardened rocks on high parts of the park have been determined to be quartzite. AfricanMecca guests walking on the beach might see apart from the regular beach sand and pebbles, rocks of reddish-brown color that descended from the hills on the high slopes of Gombe National Park.
Lake Tanganyika: Lake Tanganyika embraces Gombe National Park. It is the second deepest lake (1400 meters) in the world created by faulting and tectonic processes in the earth's surface. It is home to over 250 endemic species of fish, who are found close to the water surface giving guests who are interested in snorkeling an awesome opportunity to view some of the species. Lake Tanganyika has one drainage outlet in the Congo, and several inlets coming from Tanzania, Zambia, Burundi and Congo. Traveling via boat to Gombe, AfricanMecca guests will see small fishing villages, which exist because the opportunities created by the existence of the lake. The most common fish found in Lake Tanzania are the chiclids called Dagaa is Swahili. Ask one of our guides to purchase and prepare some fresh Dagaa giving you the opportunity to experience the taste.
Physical Geography and Vegetation At Gombe National Park: Gombe's vegetation and terrain vary slight from elevation to elevation. As AfricanMecca guests enter the park via the entrance, they will encounter grassland with few trees. Leading up to one of the main ascending trails, guests will encounter hills where the dominant vegetations can be dry and evergreen forest with closely aligned miombo trees, shrubs and underbrush. The dip in the floor in some part of part also allows for water retention encouraging greener vegetation than on the valley sides where the trees seem to be a little harsher with less leaves. On higher slopes, the miombo (brachystegia) trees seem to scatter around allowing penetration of sunlight to the park floor. When trekking chimpanzees at Gombe you will notice because of the competition for food between baboons and chimps, many of them tends to be found on higher elevations. Lucky guests visiting Gombe may have the opportunity to view chimps near the lake or on the lower slopes. The variation of vegetations and terrains adds a small twist for guests as they scramble and wiggle between the trees and underbrush when trying to view the chimpanzees.
Biodiversity At Gombe National Park: Guest visiting Gombe will have the
opportunity to experience the park through sight and sound. Although
Chimpanzee Safari is normally the focus of attention when visiting Gombe, keen
clients will be able to hear the sounds of the birds such as turacos and cuckoos
or watch the fish eagle perched on the branches of tree sprouting out to the shore
keeping an eyes out for ripples and agitations in the water. Commonly seen on
the shores are butterflies with beautiful dark brown bordering around the wings
with a large white uneven circle in the center by the name of pansies. Staying the
night at the Gombe Luxury Camp, AfricanMecca guests can keep a keen hearing
out for the cicadas' grinding sounds or the rustling that accompanies the
camp grounds when a bushpig tramples on the soft grasslands and dried leaves.
Along the shore grounds, AfricanMecca guests should be very careful of the
baboons that lurk around during the daytime. After years of feeding and other
encroachment activities, the baboons' behavioral patterns have radically changed
and have become a sort of trouble. Guests are asked to be very careful and not to
eat in their presence and to keep their tent zippers or dining room door closed.
View the precautions set out by the TANAPA in regard to your visit to Gombe
National Park. The baboons found at Gombe are the Olive Baboons different from
the Yellow baboons found Mahale Mountains National Park.
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