Mahale
The Mahale mountains, covered with dense tropical rainforest, dramatically rise up to 1,800 meters (5,906 feet) above the shores of Lake Tanganyika. They mark the westernmost point of Tanzania.
About 700 chimpanzees live in the park, some of which are habituated to human visitors, meaning they can be tracked and observed closely. The park can only be accessed by boat.
Unlike Gombe National Park, Tanzania's other chimpanzee destination, Mahale's habituated group is known for its energetic social dynamics, with many large male chimps constantly vying for higher ranks within the group. This usually guarantees a lively atmosphere—so lively indeed that it can be difficult to keep track of the many interactions that seem to happen all at once. According to chimp tracking rules, visitors must maintain a distance of at least 5 meters (16 feet). However, when the chimps get excited, they often don’t adhere strictly to these boundaries. While the chimps usually ignore their visitors, they sometimes pass by quite closely and may even bump into them.
Due to the fierce competition among the dominant males, aggression levels can be high. In my photo gallery below, you'll find a low-ranking male chimp who was injured by higher-ranking males after becoming too friendly with "their" females. Browse through these pictures to get a sense of what it's like to experience our nearest animal relatives up close. To return to the destinations overview, click here.
