Chimp Tracking and a Spectacular Safari in Ngorongoro, Tarangire, and Mahale National Parks

Primates of Mahale

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The best place in the world to see chimpanzees in the wild is the lush Mahale Mountains of Tanzania, rising to 8,000 feet from the deep turquoise waters of Lake Tanganyika, just south of Jane Goodall’s Gombe Preserve. From our spectacular lodge at lake’s edge—in a truly wild setting accessible only by boat or on foot—we hike in the forests to observe chimp clans as they play, groom, and forage right before us. We combine our Mahale adventures with classic safari gameviewing by 4WD in the legendary Ngorongoro Crater, one of the wildlife Edens of Africa and a World Heritage Site, and on exciting game walks with tracker-guides in our exclusive private gamelands adjoining the wildlife paradise of Tarangire National Park.

Below is an Itinerary-in-Brief. To view a complete Detailed Itinerary, Download Full Itinerary or Email our Area Specialist

Itinerary-in-Brief

Days 1-3
Arusha / Ngorongoro Crater

After a visit to Lake Manyara National Park, we continue to the world-famous wildlife setting of the Ngorongoro Crater, where our 4WD explorations bring us down to the crater floor, renowned for its concentration and variety of East African wildlife. Overnights at the Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, a luxurious accommodation with breathtaking views into the crater. The lodge is set at a cool 6,000 feet, and cozy log fires in the evening add to its atmosphere.

Days 4-7
Private Camp / Tarangire National Park

The thousand-square-mile Tarangire region is a magnet for migrating herds during the rainless summer months, when the Tarangire River becomes a lifeline. Between July and October, the grasslands and wooded bush country here are home to enormous herds of lively elephants, migrating plains game, and riverbank prides of lion. The sheer variety of species seen in Tarangire continues to be one of its attractions. Our private camp is set in the 100-square-mile Osunyai private gamelands adjoining Tarangire National Park. Because we are gameviewing on private gamelands and not in a national park, we can enjoy special activities here, including off-road travel, exploration in open vehicles with a 360-degree gameviewing panorama, night drives, and exciting bush walks with highly trained gametrackers. At our private camp, we are surrounded by well over 100 square miles of prime African gamelands for our exclusive use.

Days 8-12
Chimp Tracking at Mahale Mountains National Park

A short flight takes us across the unbroken wilderness of western Tanzania and across Mahale Mountains National Park to the shores of sparkling blue Lake Tanganyika. Here we enter the wild world of Mahale’s chimps, the largest group of free-living chimpanzees on earth. The chimps roam from high in these majestic mountains right down to the pristine shore of vast Lake Tanganyika, the Great Rift Valley’s largest lake. Our specialist trackers are experts at finding them, and once we are among the animals—often just a few feet away—we can observe their complex social behavior. We also enjoy swimming in Tanganyika’s turquoise waters, butterfly watching (300 species!), serene evening sails, and our breathtaking lodge on a palm-fringed beach. Depart Day 12 via Arusha, or join our Mountain Gorilla Extension.

Mountain Gorilla Extension Days 12-16

Enjoy the heart-pounding experience of tracking mountain gorilla clans in spectacular Parc National des Volcans in Rwanda, which preserves one of the largest natural forests in East Africa and was Dian Fossey’s base for 13 years. Mountain gorillas are the most endangered of the great apes, with a world population of approximately 700 individuals.

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Tour Costs $6395 (8-12 members) $6795 (4-7 members) Single supplement: $1495 Park fees: $1405 Internal airfare: $1195 Mountain Gorilla extension from: $1895 *Prices are for 2008 dates only **Airfare is not included in Tour Cost unless indicated

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