Kigoma Region
A region on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, where you can track wild chimpanzees in Gombe and Mahale national parks.
Kigoma Region lies in western Tanzania on Lake Tanganyika, across the lake from or bordering Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Gombe Stream National Park is famous for Jane Goodall's chimpanzee research, while Mahale Mountains National Park is known for its lakeside forested mountains and chimpanzee communities. Ujiji, near the regional capital Kigoma, is where Stanley met Livingstone. The lakeshore scenery is beautiful, but transport is less convenient. The dry season from July to October is best for chimpanzee viewing. Fly to Kigoma Airport, or travel west on the Central Line railway, then take a boat to the parks.