Ultimate Guide to Gombe Stream National Park 2026

Ultimate Guide to Gombe Stream National Park 2026

Gombe Stream National Park is a narrow strip of chimpanzee habitat on the shore of Lake Tanganyika. Gombe is the smallest park in Tanzania at a size of 52 square kilometers. Gombe Stream National Park is home to the most famous chimpanzees in the world and is renowned as a place where Dr. Jane Goodall pioneered her behavioral research on the chimpanzees, her studies and research on the chimpanzees in Gombe started in 1960 when she founded a chimpanzee behavioral research program in the forest. Today, this program stands as the longest – running study of its kind in the world

The landscape of the park is made up of steep valley, streams and rivers, the vegetation changes from tropical rainforests and alpine bamboo to grasslands.

The Kasakela Chimpanzee Community found in Gombe Stream National Park has featured in several books and documentaries and was a subject of Dr. Jane Goodall’s research. She became famous for a film “Miss Goodall and the Wild Chimpanzee,” released in 1995 and produced by National Geographic.  For over 40 years, Gombe Stream National Park has been dedicated to the protection and understanding of Chimpanzees.

Gombe Stream National Park is located in the far western region along the border of Tanzania and Congo, about 15 kilometers north of the town of Kigoma and is only accessed by boat.

Gombe Stream National Park was established in 1968, Gombe is rich in both human and natural history. The village of Ujiji is where historians think H.M Stanely – a British researcher said the famous words “Dr. Livingstone, I presume?” in 1871 where he encountered fellow adventurer David Livingstone, who had been thought to be dead. Though he was seriously ill, Livingstone convinced Stanely to join him on a search to find the source of the Nile – a quest which took them through the Gombe Valley.

Gombe Stream National Park’s narrow, steep valleys are dominated by evergreen rainforests that give way to grass–topped ridges and alpine bamboo stands, the habitats are home to two kinds of acrobatic colobus monkeys along with several bird species including giant kingfishers, crowned eagles and trumpeter hornbill and more 50 species of wildlife including trumpeter hornbills. The park adjoins Lake Tanganyika which hosts about 100 kinds of brightly – colored cichlid fish.

 Chimpanzees of Gombe Stream National Park

Gombe Stream National Park is the best place to track mountain gorillas as well as the world, the park is home to about 150 chimpanzees. These chimpanzees are some of the most famous chimpanzees in the world made famous by research and studies by Dr, Jane Goodall who arrived in 1960, during her research at Gombe she made many new discoveries about chimpanzees detailing their social hierarchy, their calls and previously unsuspected behavior.

The ongoing studies in Gombe Stream National Park examine mother–infant relations, vocal communications and botanical collections. Fifi, the last surviving member of the original community and its matriarch was only three years old when Jane Goodall first arrive in Gombe, she is still regularly seen by visitors.

The ongoing field research and the Gombe Stream Research Center (GSRC) takes a role in conservation education, both research and education plays important roles in preserving free-living chimpanzees as well as their habitats.

Before Dr. Jane Goodall could interact and water the chimpanzees, much time was spent getting them used to human presence. From 1962 – 1965, she made use of random provisioning to get the chimpanzees used to presence of humans. The observation of the chimpanzees found distinct patterns of behavior in the different communities of chimpanzee in the forest, some shared patterns such as termite fishing using non–leaf materials, lever open–stick used to enlarge an entrance, self–tickle – using objects and Rain dance – slow display at the start of the rain. Some unique patterns are leaf squash – squash bug on leaf and ant-dip-wipe – manually wipe ant off wand.

Birdlife in Gombe Stream National Park

 Over 200 bird species exist in Gombe Stream National Park, the variety of wildlife makes Gombe one of the popular destinations for Tanzania birding safaris, these birds include fish eagles, peter’s twinspot, Livingstone turaco, tropical boubou, common paradise flycatcher, Rufous sparrow, African broadbill, black swaw-wing, crowed eagle, Double toothed barbet, Golden – rumped tinker bird, red capped robin – chat, Ross’s turace, Rufous Sparrow among others.

Tanzania Safari Activities in Gombe Stream National Park

Chimpanzee tracking

Gombe Stream National Park is one the great places to see primates in Tanzania including chimpanzees. Chimpanzee tracking is the premier activity in Gombe offering visitors a chance to track and visit several chimpanzee communities thriving in Gombe forest including Kasakela, Kahama Kalande and Mitumba.

Visitors get a chance to get close to these chimpanzees and observe their behavior and how they live in the forests of Gombe. Chimpanzee tracking is conducted from 0630 – 1830 hours.

Hiking and nature walks

This exciting activity offers visitors the opportunity to explore the park on foot. These walks are done along the shores of Lake Tanzania or along the trails leading to Kakombe and Mkenke Waterfalls. As you explore the park on foot, you will enjoy magnificent views of the mountains of the Rift escarpment falling westwards into the lake and the beautiful landscape made up of valley and mosaic forest, woodland and grassland.

Birding

Gombe Forest National Park is a birding Paradise with over 200 bird species. Birding excursions are headed by a ranger guide and a professional birder who will point out several bird species in the forest. Some of the birds to lookout for in Gombe Forest include tropical boubou, common paradise flycatcher, Rufous sparrow, African broadbill, black swaw-wing, crowed eagle, Double toothed barbet, Golden–rumped tinkerbird, red-capped robin – chat, Ross’s turace, Rufous Sparrow, among others.

Boat cruise

Boat cruise is done on the beautiful Lake Tanganyika, this activity allows you to feel the cool breeze of the lake while savoring on the great views of the Great Rift Valley Escarpment. There are options of luxury boats and ordinary speed boats depending on the traveler’s budget.

When to visit Gombe National Park

The best time to visit Gombe National Park is during dry season running from June to October, during the dry season there is little to no rain and plenty of sunshine. There are few mosquitoes most especially during day thus reduced chances of contracting malaria, also during the dry season chimpanzees generally stay on the lower slopes during the dry season and are easy to find. Sometimes they can even be seen wandering along the sandy shore.

Accommodation in Gombe Stream National Park

There are limited accommodation options in Gombe Stream National Park, the available options include Gombe Forest Lodge, Gombe Lodge, Kasekela Luxury Campsite, Gombe Tented Camp, Jane Goodall rest house, Kasekela Public Campsite.

How to get to Gombe Stream National Park

Travelers can get to Gombe Stream National Park by a domestic flight to Kigoma airstrip, where you will take a boat ride to reach the park. There are daily flights from Dar es Salaam and charter flights from Arusha.