Gombe National Park

Gombe National Park, also known as Gombe Stream National Park, is located in western Kigoma Region, Tanzania, 10 miles (16 km) north of Kigoma, the capital of Kigoma Region. The Gombe National Park is remarkably one of the East Africa’s best hidden secrets that you can possibly explore in the western Region.

The Gombe National Park is located close to the Burundi border and comprises 13.5 square miles proving it to be one of Tanzania’s smallest Park with lushly vegetation ranging from grasslands to woodland and, tropical rainforest that are distinguished by steep valleys. The streams intersect the steep valleys that plunge downwards to the unspoiled shores of Lake Tanganyika, about 15 Kilometers north of the town of Kigoma. Gombe National Park was established in 1968. The National Park is mainly accessible by the boat. The mountainous rainforests of Gombe National Park is a home to large troops of habituated chimpanzees. The pioneering research and conservation work of Dr. Jane Goodall is the main source of the fame of Gombe National Park.

In 1943, Gombe was first gazetted as a game reserve and following the arrival of a British female primatologist Jane Goodall in 1960, Gombe was established as a National Park in 1968 and the Gombe Stream Research Center was founded in 1967.  Jane Goodall was a young female resident primatologist who spent years in the forests studying the behavior of the endangered chimpanzees and arrived in Tanzania at only the age of 26 years. Her expedition was funded by an anthropologist Dr. Louis Leakey, who believed that the chimpanzee’s behavior would provide insights into the lives of the early hominid species to which he was discovering at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania.

The research made by Dr. Jane Goodall laid a firm foundation for what is known about chimpanzees today. During her research, she disproved the theory that had been stated that “humans are the only species to use tools” following her evidencing the chimpanzees using twigs to fish termites. She also discovered that chimpanzees are not vegetarians as thought before after she witnessed them hunting and eating smaller primates. Her research is remarkably known as an important study of the chimpanzee’s intricate family structures and relationships which demonstrated that non-human species are capable of intellectual and are emotionally sophistication. Chimpanzees share about 98% of their genes with humans with no necessary scientific expertise needed to distinguish between the individuals.

What is Gombe Famous for?

The chimpanzees are the major attraction at Gombe National Park, with the Park habituating over 100 eastern chimpanzees it grants a great chance to see chimpanzees since the large number guarantees sighting. The best way to explore Gombe National Park is to have a guided chimpanzee trek though it will take fewer hours to see chimpanzees.

Besides chimpanzee viewing, Gombe National Park is also a home to many other species of primates that live in in Gombe’s Tropical forest. The forest habituates a lot of wildlife that include; Vervet and colobus monkeys, baboons, forest pigs and small antelopes that spice up the wide variety of tropical birdlife.

What to expect on a safari to Gombe National Park?

Despite it being small, the high levels of diversity in Gombe National Park have made it increasingly a popular tourist destination. The famous Kasekela chimpanzee community that has appeared in several books and documentaries are found in Gombe National Park. A trip to Gombe National Park will offer a great thrilling experience of the jungle. On your trip in the Gombe Tropical forest, expect an exciting whoop that erupts from deep forest that will be immediately be boosted by dozens of other voices, that rise in volume and tempo and pitch to a frenzied shrieking crescendo.

This is known as the famous pant hoot call. It is a bonding ritual that allows the participants to identify each other through their individual vocals stylization.

To a visitor in Gombe National Park listening to the sound and walking through the ancient forest becomes spine chilling outburst that is an indicator of imminent visual contact with man’s closest genetic relative, the chimpanzee.

Other frequently asked questions

What is Gombe National Park famous for?

The park derived its fame from the American primatologist, Jane Goodall who pioneered her behavioural research conducted on the chimpanzee populations. The other famous thing about Gombe are the Kasekela chimpanzee community that have featured in several books and documentaries, lives in Gombe National Park.

How many national parks are in Tanzania?

Tanzania is one of most the bio diverse countries in Africa with about 22 national parks, many of which form the core of a much larger protected ecosystem, have been set aside to preserve the country’s rich natural heritage and to provide secure breeding grounds where its fauna and flora can thrive, safe from the conflicting interests of a growing human population.