Mahale mountains national park is 1 613 km² in size. It’s located about 128 km south of Kigoma town and East of Lake Tanganyika shore.  It’s dominated by Mahale mountains the highest peak being Mount Nkungwe that rises to 2 462 m above sea level. Its home to over 82 species of mammals and about 355 species of birds, 26 species of reptiles which live in Miombo woodland ,  riverine forest , lowland forest, bamboo bush land and montane forest

Animals in this park include:  giant forest squirrel, red-legged sun squirrel ,brush-tailed porcupine , Angolan black-and-white colobus monkeys , bushy-tailed mongoose , banded mongoose , blue duiker , Sharpe’s grysbok ,lions, Grant’s zebras, warthogs, giraffes, antelopes, sable antelopes, and Lichtenstein hartebeest, marsh mongoose, Atilax paludinosus ,Smith’s red rock hare and Pronolagus rupestris

Bird species include: pennant-winged nightjars, open-billed, spoonbills, crested cranes and pink-backed pelicans, African golden orioles, paradise fly-catchers and saddlebilled storks

Other Attractions:
Kasoge forest
Lake Tanganyika

What to do

• Tracking wild habituated chimpanzees
• Mountain climbing,
• Snorkeling
• Fishing
• Kayaking
• Relaxing on the white, sandy beaches
• Sport fishing Lake Tanganyika
• Cultural tourism activities in the nearby villages
• Walking safaris

When to go
Mahale mountains National Park can be accessed all year round

Access:
By air:
Travel to Mahale via Kigoma flying from Dar es Salaam which is 3 hours and then connect to the park by driving there

By Road: By road from Arusha its about 2 or 3 days to reach Kigoma by car
By Rail: Trains from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma take about 3 days 2 nights

From Kigoma, Mahale can be reached by boat or by light aircraft: