• Park history
Gombe, designated as a game reserve in 1943, was upgraded into a national park status in 1968. The park is located 16 km north of Kigoma town on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania. It covers an area of 56 square kilometers and is a fragile habitat for chimpanzee. Gombe gained its popularity after the research of Dr Jane Goodall which is believed to be the longest running study of primates in the world.
• How to get there
B motor boat (two hours). The motor boat can be booked through in Kigoma town.
• To get to Kigoma:
By air: scheduled flights from Dar es Salaam and Mwanza cities or from Arusha by chartered flights.
By rail: from Dar es Salaam or by ferry from Mpulungu in Zambia.
By road: from Dar es Salaam, Arusha or Mwanza.
• Best time to visit
Chimpanzee can be trekked throughout the year. However, for plants/insects and better chimpanzee spotting, the best time is during wet season (November to mid May) and for the best photo taking (May to October)