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Chimpanzee & Lake Tanganyika
From tracking chimpanzees on foot in magnificent forests to watching herds of elephant 300-strong to lazing on golden beaches, swimming in crystal clear waters… Is it a dream?
Lake Tanganyika is found on the western border of Tanzania. This massive expanse of water is the longest lake in Africa and the second deepest lake in the world. Because it lies on the Great African Rift, the lake’s temperature is typically 23 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) all year round. The lake boasts visibilities of up to 20m with massive boulders, spectacular drop offs and a shell covered bottom. It is thought to date back 9 to 20 million years and is one of the richest aqueous environments in the world, supporting at least 250 varieties of fish.
The Mahale Mountains are located right next to Lake Tanganyika. Chimpanzee tracking is the main attraction here, beginning in the early morning with the guides usually starting at the area where the Chimpanzees nested the previous night and tracking from there. Chimpanzee tracking takes up to four hours. The animals move in search of fruit, and wherever we find fruit in abundance, they will be found nearby.
The area can be reached, beginning from Hatari or Shu’mata, by shared air charter, and for those who like to experience the lake, we also have a special surprise: on board of the MV Liemba, formerly the Graf von Götzen, a ship built in Germany in 1913, which after a complete overhaul in 1973 is now capable of carrying up to 600 passengers, we can cross part of the lake, overnight and wake up on the shore at your private camp.
Lake Tanganyika Hopper (pdf)
"African Queen" with Humphrey Bogart and Catherine Hepburn
The Jane Goodall institute
TAE General info (pdf)