Discover the chimps!
Mahale Mountains NP is not your average african safari destination: it is remote, wild, and does not bear the usual african wildlife. The main purpose for us to go to Mahale was to see the Lake Tanganyka, and to meet with the chimps. We were not disappointed. Landscape were totally amazing and different, with beautiful beaches along the lake and steep hills just behind.
And we got to see chimps all three days we went into the bush. When looking at a chimp, you are not merely looking at a wild animal. You feel that they are looking back, that something more than just animal instinct is happening inside their brains. Amazing experience!
We did get to see also some hippos, swimming in the lake (in clean water for a change...), and with a little luck we could have seen crocodiles swimming the lake as well. We also spotted baboons on a regular basis, and a few wild boars.
Go, you will not be disappointed!
35-50 years of age
Review about Tanzania by Globalism Pictures
Tanzania has probably the widest, wildest spaces and the biggest selection of wildlife of them all. The people are very warm, and the sense of somewhere else is unbeatable for a first-timer to Africa.
Review about Tanzania by nilsrinaldi
Less industrialed safaris than for instance Kenya, lots of space for animals to wander around.
under20 years of age
Review about Kruger National Park by Duncan R
I have only been there on a day-trip, but even then I still saw a leopard, cheetahs, elephants, buffalo, rhinos, countless antelope and wonderful birds. It really does deserve its reputation as one of the best holiday destinations in South Africa.
under20 years of age
Review about Golden Gate Highlands National Park by Duncan R
Golden Gate is one of the most beautiful places in South Africa, and is definitely worth seeing if you can make it there. The mountains are majestic and the grasslands are full of life.
under20 years of age
A wonderful, intimate safari experience
I stayed in Mokala National Park during an ant-collecting field trip with three entomologists, so I was not there as a tourist and cannot comment on the catering and guide services. However, we really enjoyed the few days we had there, since the hut we stayed in was comfortable, the weather was sunny and the place was throbbing with life. A variety of lovely birds visited us at the hut, including Crimson-breasted shrikes, Common scimitarbills and Black cuckoos (which are usually difficult to find, let alone see close-up). We encountered many mammals as well, including giraffes, herds of antelope and warthogs.
On the whole, I would highly recommend Mokala for a holiday. Since it straddles the boundary between the Karoo and savanna biomes, it is also a fascinating area to study if you are seriously interested in wildlife.
under20 years of age
Review about South Africa by Duncan R
Few other countries offer such extraordinary biodiversity and beautiful scenery - don't miss out!
FI
35-50 years of age
Review about Katavi National Park by Jussi Mononen
You don't truly understand the words "remote" and "vast" until you visit Katavi. We were the only visitors in a 10.000 square kilometer wilderness for several days and got a fantastic taste of primeval Africa.
FI
35-50 years of age
A hidden treasure in deepest Africa
Mahale is a special place. Very special.
The bad news first: it is hard to get there and it is expensive. It is also not well suited for people who cannot or are not comfortable with a fair bit of scrambling along steep and slippery paths.
But the good news is that you have never seen a place like it. First you have Lake Tanganyika, then a small strip of white sand, and then, steeply rising mountains covered with dense and lush rain forest.
The fabulous scenery alone would make Mahale special. But we have not introduced the main attraction yet. Mahale is home to the world's largest habituated chimp population - the M Group alone is about 60 chimps strong.
And don't understand the word habituated wrong; the Mahale chimps are not tame in any sense of the word: they are wild creatures but they just don't mind people. We are part of the scenery for them. We get the privilege of observing them from up close and learning about the chimps, and, in the process, about ourselves. It is impossible not to feel a close kinship with the chimps – and one does get the feeling that there is something of a similar recognition in them, as well.
A bit about the practicalities. We flew in from Dar es Salaam with a scheduled Air Precision flight to Kigali where a four-seater Cessna met us and flew us to a tiny airstrip a little outside of the park. There we were met by Greystoke Mahale (our camp) staff with boats. The weather being rather windy, the boat ride was a 45 minute thrill ride with plenty of water sprays and liver-banging jumps and bumps.
The camp itself consisted of 7 separate bandas built from driftwood and other recycled local materials. The bandas were quite private and very comfy. There was no electricity apart from small night lights powered by a generator. Our banda was perhaps 40 yards from the lake shore and had (as did all the others, I would imagine) an unobstructed view of the lake and the beach. The banda featured a porch, a very large and comfy bed, a dressing area, and an open air toilet and shower. The banda also had a small attic with lounge chairs that one could slumber in and watch the lake from.
Meals were mainly served in a central building that was a good-sized thatch and timber affair. Food was aplenty and easily on par with any other luxury bush lodge. The dinners were mainly memorable for the eclectic mixture of people and their tales from the bush (and urban jungles) from all over the world. Mahale being remote and expensive, there appear to be few bush dilettantes there - we had a lively mix of people from South Africa, Australia, UK, France, the US, and Finland (us being of northern persuasion).
The hosts at the time, Ed and Annabel, were a delight. Annabel was a UK-born ex radio journalist who had spent a long time making radio programmes in e.g. Uganda. She kept the camp running and had a vast practical knowledge about Sub-Saharan Africa. Ed was the son of a famous local artist who was an unending source of tales and anecdotes and wit - the sort of eccentric Englishman one migh have encountered in books about the bush.
The guides Raphael and were a fabulous bunch of guys. Young Tanzanian guys mainly in their 20's. They were expert, fun, inquisitive, and relaxed. They led us through the forest after the chimps (with able assistance from the park staff), took us on snorkelling trips, fished with us, played soccer with us, and even painted with us.
We staid a full week at Mahale and felt it was not one second too long. While chimp observation is the obvious main attraction of Mahale, Greystoke is also magical in many other respects and should be high on the list of anyone wishing to see some of the best things Africa has to offer in a lovely setting and amidst plenty of bush comfort.
FI
35-50 years of age
Review about Tanzania by Jussi Mononen
Very diverse destinations, improving infrastructure, and generally more affordable than e.g. South Africa or Botswana.