MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
—— THE MAHALE MOUNTAIN RANGE
Mahale Mountains National Park lies on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika in Kigoma Region, Tanzania. Named after the Mahale Mountains range that is within its borders, the park has several unusual characteristics. First, it is one of only two protected areas for chimpanzees in the country. (The other is nearby Gombe Stream National Park made famous by the researcher Jane Goodall.) Mahale Mountains National Park harbors the largest known population of eastern chimpanzees and due to its size and remoteness, the chimpanzees flourish. It’s also a place where chimpanzees and lions co-exist. Another unusual feature of the park is that it is one of the very few in Africa that must be experienced on foot. There are no roads or other infrastructure within the park boundaries, and the only way in and out of the park is via boat on the lake.
FACTS
- Named after the Mahale Mountains range that is within its borders
- it is one of only two protected areas for chimpanzees in the country
- Mahale Mountains National Park harbors the largest known population of eastern chimpanzees and due to its size and remoteness, the chimpanzees flourish
- a place where chimpanzees and lions co-exist
- There are no roads or other infrastructure within the park boundaries, and the only way in and out of the park is via boat on the lake.