This small park (52 sq km) covers a lush mountainous terrain along the shores of Lake Tanganyika and is synonymous with Chimpanzee research, most notably Jane Goodall's camp research center established in 1960. About 200 chimps live in the area all belonging to 3 family groups. It is the most expensive park in Tanzania but you'll have it all to yourself and can meet Jane's chimps- FiFi, Goblin and Beethoven. You'll quickly note how similar their daily soap operas are to our own. After all, there is only 2% difference between our DNA and theirs. And, like humans, they are strong and jealously guard their territory.

Gombe Stream lies 16 km. north of Kigoma on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. This means it's very far from all of the other Parks in Tanzania's Northern Circuit and requires a charter flight to get there and back to avoid about one solid week of driving. It's a two + hour flight from Arusha to Kigoma; from there it's a one hour boat trip.

Gombe is a good visit any time of year - but is probably best during the dry portion of the year from June to October.

We often stay for 3 nights, providing 2 full days of walking in the forests with the chimps.