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Introducing Mahale Mountains National Park
Report Presented by AfricanMecca Tanzania Resource Team
Mahale Mountains National Park - Contents Table
Mahale Mountains National Park, commonly referred to as Mahale, is located in southwestern Tanzania on the beautiful sandy shores of Lake Tanganyika. The park is located 120 kilometers south of Kigoma town, and is only accessible by boat service or charter plane. The park altitude rises from 773 meters at Lake Tanganyika to around 2462 meters at the top of the mountain range at Nkungwe Peak. Mahale National Park is 623 square kilometers, 30 times the size of Gombe Stream National Park. Mahale Park status encompasses the Mahale Mountain ranges, 63 kilometers of beautiful soft sandy beach and 1.6 kilometer wide of Lake Tanganyika.
Mahale National Park: History, Community and Personalities
The area around Mahale on Lake Tanganyika is home to Batongwe and Waholoholo tribes of Tanzania, and the remoteness of Mahale makes it an area that not been settled in large numbers. The area around southwestern Tanzania was also visited by the Arab and European explorers each seeking royalty in goods, legitimate or otherwise and fame for the source of river Nile. The tracks and surrounding areas of Mahale like Ujiji and Kigoma bear the witness of men like Livingstone, Stanley, Burton and Speke, and possibly many others who never made it in the annals of history.
The story of Mahale Mountains National Park as we see it today began in 1965 when a Japanese researcher by the name of Dr. Toshisada was conducting assessment of the shoreline south of Kigoma town. Stumbling upon the mountain and chimpanzees, Dr. Toshisada setup the first research camp in Mahale National Park. With the potential of learning about the chimps; in subsequent years he petitioned for formal protective status of the region, which was successful in 1980 when the first informal protective status was granted to Mahale Mountains. The protective status included the abandonment of current housing structures and restriction of future residence with in the park. Full park status was granted to Mahale Mountains in 1985 thanks to firm efforts of Dr. Toshisada and Japanese Government and cooperation from Republic of Tanzania.
Best Time To Visit Mahale National Park For Chimpanzee Safari
Mahale National Park's dry season starts around the mid of May lasting to the mid November with patches of dry transition time between January and February when rains switch from the short to the longs rains. Long rains start from around the middle of February tapering off by the middle of May. Although the above information is a guideline to the weather pattern, Mahale is accessible at all times of the year.
Getting To Mahale National Park
There are two mains ways to get to Mahale National Park. The first is by flying from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma, which takes an average of three hours. The second way to get to Kigoma is by rail taking at least two days to get there. From Kigoma, AfricanMecca guest will travel on a relaxing journey via a speedboat while passing fishing villages and other beautiful mountainous regions within southwestern Tanzania. The speedboat takes approximately 3½ hours. The trips are normally taken on a calm morning with little winds. The speedboats are a great improvement as in the past standard boats had taken up to 10 hours. The speedboat ride is wonderful, and time seems to fly by as guest lay back and gaze at the superb panoramic views of southwestern Tanzania.
Why Visit Mahale National Park Located in Southwestern Tanzania?
• Chimp Safari Experience: Mahale provides an exceptional opportunity to undertake a chimp viewing and trekking safari in a natural setting. There are plenty of chimps to view, noted to be in the hundreds.
• Dual Safari Experience: Southwestern Tanzania gives AfricanMecca two chimpanzee experiences within one region with one experience at Mahale and the other at Gombe Stream National Park. Each of the chimps found in the respective parks display different characteristics.
• Historical and Cultural Tour: On the way to Mahale stop over at Ujiji and view the actual location where Dr. Livingstone and Stanley met along with other places of interest.
• Beach Vacation: Mahale can be selected as an exclusive, paradisiacal and unmatched beach vacation destination where AfricanMecca guests have a whole beach stretch to themselves Guests can spend their days relaxing and enjoying time off. Activities available include fishing, snorkeling, sun bathing, and relaxation. The beach experience at Mahale Mountains National Park by far exceeds the experience at Gombe, and at many Indian Ocean beach locations.
• Discerning Tourism: Mahale and Southwestern Tanzania region is an area where most visitors to East Africa often overlook making it a wonderful opportunity for those guests who want a personalized and authentic experience to view this part of the country.
• Accommodation Fairly Priced: Accommodations at Mahale National Park cater to all personalities making it a must visit park for any person visiting Tanzania. The park has two categories of accommodations allowing guests to select a program that fits their budget.
Next Section - Mahale Chimpanzee Trekking Experience
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