Visit Dr Jane Goodall’s Chimps in Gombe National Park

Few places in the world carry the quiet power of Gombe Stream National Park. This small, forested reserve on the shores of Lake Tanganyika is home to the descendants of Dr Jane Goodall’s chimps – the same chimpanzees that changed how humanity sees itself over sixty years ago.

For travellers seeking something deeper than a typical safari, Gombe offers a rare kind of pilgrimage – one that blends science, story, and soul. To visit Gombe today is to walk in Dr Goodall’s footsteps and honour her legacy, surrounded by the same ancient trees and echoing calls that first revealed the emotional and social depth of our closest living relatives.

The Legacy of Jane Goodall and Her Chimps

When a young Jane Goodall arrived in what was then Tanganyika in 1960, she had no formal scientific training – only a lifelong fascination with animal behaviour and extraordinary patience for observation. What began as an ambitious project under the mentorship of renowned archaeologist Louis Leakey soon became the world’s longest-running study of wild chimpanzees.

In the forested valleys of Gombe, Goodall witnessed something the scientific community once thought impossible: chimpanzees making and using tools. She saw mothers teaching their young, coalitions forming and breaking, and emotional expressions that mirrored our own. These discoveries shattered the perceived boundary between humans and animals, transforming primatology forever.

Today, her legacy lives on through the Gombe Stream Research Centre and the Jane Goodall Institute, both continuing her mission of conservation and understanding. Travellers who visit Gombe become part of this living legacy – seeing first-hand the descendants of the very chimpanzees that shaped modern science.

Visiting Gombe National Park Today

Gombe Stream National Park sits in Tanzania’s far west, bordered by the deep blue waters of Lake Tanganyika. It’s one of the country’s smallest national parks, but also one of its most significant. Its remoteness adds to the sense of privilege – there are no roads leading in or out. Instead, you’ll reach Gombe by boat, gliding along the lake from the nearby town of Kigoma, where most journeys begin.

The exclusivity of Gombe means you won’t find crowds or convoys of vehicles. Only a handful of guests enjoy the privilege of chimpanzee treks in Tanzania each day, guided by local experts who know every ridge, fig tree, and chimp family by name. For those seeking an authentic, intimate encounter with nature, this seclusion is part of Gombe’s magic.

Gombe also forms part of Tanzania’s Western Circuit, a region that includes other wild gems like the Mahale Mountains and Katavi National Park. For many travellers, this circuit offers a slower, more personal way to explore the country – one that complements the more famous northern safaris while offering unmatched depth and solitude.

A Day in the Life: Tracking Gombe’s Chimpanzees

Chimpanzee trekking in Gombe begins in the cool of the morning, when the forest is alive with birdsong and the distant pant-hoots of chimps echo across the valley. Accompanied by your guide, you’ll follow narrow trails under the forest canopy, scanning for movement or sound. When you find a group, everything becomes still – the forest narrows to the rustle of leaves and the curious gaze of a chimp just a few metres away.

These chimpanzees are the wild descendants of Goodall’s original study subjects. Over generations, they have grown more comfortable with the presence of respectful observers, allowing travellers to watch their daily interactions without intrusion. You might see juveniles playing in the undergrowth, mothers grooming their infants, or dominant males asserting their authority in bursts of drama that reveal complex social dynamics.

It’s a humbling experience. Unlike traditional safaris, there are no vehicles here – only you, the guide, and the forest. Time seems to slow, and every encounter feels like a privilege granted by patience and respect.

For those seeking more context, our curated Tanzania chimpanzee trekking tours are designed to provide seamless logistics and local expertise, ensuring each trek is safe, responsible, and deeply rewarding.

Beyond the Chimps: Gombe’s Wild Beauty

While chimpanzees are Gombe’s main attraction, the park’s biodiversity is just as captivating. Red colobus monkeys leap through the canopy, olive baboons patrol the shoreline, and the calls of hornbills echo through the hills. Crystal streams tumble down from the escarpment into Lake Tanganyika – one of the world’s deepest and clearest freshwater lakes.

After a morning trek, many visitors enjoy swimming in the lake’s calm waters or relaxing on the beach as fishing boats glide past. The sunsets here are extraordinary – molten gold reflecting across the still surface, the forest behind you alive with sound.

For a broader journey, travellers often combine Gombe with the Mahale Mountains National Park, another remote chimpanzee sanctuary along the same lake. Together, they form one of Africa’s most immersive wildlife circuits – a true escape into nature’s most untouched corners.

Where to Stay: Comfort in the Wild

Under 200 km south of Gombe, you’ll find Mahale Mountains National Park, one of Africa’s last true wildernesses. It’s an untouched sweep of tropical forest, soaring mountain ridges, and the gin-clear waters of Lake Tanganyika.

It’s also one of the continent’s most remarkable chimpanzee trekking destinations and is home to some of the largest protected populations of wild chimpanzees in Africa. While Dr Jane Goodall conducted her pioneering work in Gombe, her research helped shape global understanding of chimpanzee behaviour and paved the way for continued conservation efforts across western Tanzania, including Mahale.

On this Western Circuit, two exemplary camps offer the immersive wild experience that our safari experts at Discover Africa recommend. Out here, days revolve around trekking to see the resident chimpanzee communities and kayaking on crystal-clear water, swimming in the lake, and watching sunsets that melt into the horizon.

Greystoke Mahale sits on a crescent of white sand at the foot of the mountains, accessible only by boat and enveloped by deep forest. Its six bandas, built from reclaimed dhow wood, look onto the beach of Lake Tanganyika, creating a sense of barefoot seclusion that feels both luxurious and entirely in tune with the setting.

Similarly, Mbali Mbali Mahale lies on a golden beach along Lake Tanganyika, with raised thatched tents, gentle forest walks, and world-class chimpanzee treks inside Mahale’s rainforest. It combines comfort with wilderness in a place few travellers ever reach.

Because access and conditions can vary seasonally, it’s best to rely on expert planning. Discover Africa’s safari experts match each traveller’s comfort preferences, travel dates, and sense of adventure with the right accommodation.

Whether you prefer a rustic, close-to-nature camp or a more comfortable lakeside retreat, our planners ensure your stay enhances rather than disrupts the environment you came to experience.

Preserving a Living Legacy

Every visit to Gombe contributes to the conservation of one of Africa’s most important ecosystems. Tourism here helps fund anti-poaching patrols, forest restoration, and community-led education programmes run in partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute. By travelling consciously, visitors become part of the ongoing effort to protect both chimpanzees and their fragile habitats.

There’s a profound symmetry to it – sixty years ago, Jane Goodall began observing chimpanzees to better understand what connects us. Today, travellers come to Gombe for the same reason: to reconnect, to witness the intelligence and emotion that bind all living beings, and to leave changed by what they’ve seen.

Standing beneath the forest canopy, listening to the calls of Gombe’s chimps, it’s impossible not to feel that connection.

Its remoteness may require planning, but the rewards are incomparable: intimacy, authenticity, and the rare privilege of standing in the birthplace of one of the greatest scientific stories ever told.

Ready to follow in Dr Jane Goodall’s footsteps? Discover Africa’s safari experts will help you design a journey that honours Gombe’s spirit – ethical, seamless, and deeply inspiring. Start by exploring our Tanzania chimpanzee trekking tours and let our planners craft an itinerary that connects you to this extraordinary corner of the world.