9 Days Tour, Katavi, Mahale and Gombe stream

9 Days Tour - Katavi, Mahale and Gombe Stream
This tour package has the best game drive experience in the Katavi flood plain, boat safari on Lake Tanganyika and walking safari’s in the Mahale Mountain and Gombe to track chimpanzees.

KataviNational Park
The Katavi National Park is hidden away in Western Tanzania and is the country's least visited national park. Isolated, untrampled and seldom visited, Katavi is a true wilderness. During the rainy season, these lush, marshy lakes are a haven for myriad water birds, and they also support Tanzania’s densest concentrations of hippo and crocodile.  It is during the dry season, when the floodwaters retreat, that Katavi truly comes unto it’s own. The Katuma, reduced to a shallow, muddy trickle, is the only source of drinking water for miles around, and the flanking flood plains support game concentrations that defy belief. An estimated 4,000 elephants might converge on the area, together with several herds of 1,000-plus buffalo, while an abundance of giraffe, zebra, impala and reedbuck provide easy pickings for the numerous lion prides and spotted hyena clans who converge on these territories. In total, 50 species of large to medium mammal species are confirmed to exist in the park.

MahaleMountains
Mahale Mountains National Park is situated on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania. The Mahale Mountains are home to one of the largest populations of chimpanzees in Africa. Each day, you'll be just feet away from them as they go about their daily lives, while they remain entirely indifferent to your presence. While chimpanzees are the star attraction, the slopes support a diverse forest fauna, including readily observed troops of red Colobus, red-tailed and blue monkeys, and a kaleidoscopic of colourful forest birds.

KigomaTown
The town of Kigoma is the largest town on Lake Tanganyika and is the gateway to Tanzania’s western parks. What made this town famous is not only the fact that it is a gate way to Tanzania's national parks and is well known for its palm oil, but it is also known for its high quality "daaga" fish which is sold and exported. This town has spectacular views over the Lake Tanganyika and a vibrant social life, well worth a visit.

GombeStream National Park
GombeStream National Park is the smallest of Tanzania's national parks. It is a fragile strip of chimpanzee habitat that straddles the steep slopes and river valleys that hem in the sandy northern shore of Lake Tanganyika. Gombe Stream National Park’s diversity makes it an increasingly popular tourist destination. Besides chimpanzees, primates inhabiting Gombe Stream include the beachcomber olive baboons, red-tailed monkeys and vervet monkeys. The park is also home to over 200 bird species and bush pigs. There are also 11 species of snakes, and occasional hippopotamus and leopards.  Visitors to the park can trek into the forest to view the chimpanzees, as well as swim and snorkel in Lake Tanganyika with almost 100 kinds of colourful cichlid fish.
Day 1:Depart by air to Katavi National ParkYour adventure starts from Arusha or Dar es Salaam by sharing a chartered plane. The flight to Katavi National Park takes approximately two-hours. After your arrival we embark on an afternoon game drive and late afternoon/early evening walking safari. Dinner and overnight is at the Katuma Bush Lodge.

Day 2:
A full day of walking Safaris & Game drives in Katavi
After breakfast, we explore the Katavi flood plain on foot. In the late morning we break for a picnic brunch and go on afternoon game drives to Katavi's inner side. We dine and overnight at the Katuma Bush Lodge.

Day 3:
A full day of walking Safaris & Game drives in Katavi
After breakfast we spend another day exploring the Katavi flood plain. In the afternoon we go on game drives to Katavi's inner side. Dinner and overnight is at the Katuma Bush Lodge.

Day 4:
Depart for the Mahale Mountains
After breakfast we will share a chartered flight to the Mahale Mountains which takes approximately one hour. We then travel by boat on Lake Tanganyika. In the afternoon we go on a walking safari in the Mahale Mountains then have dinner and stay overnight at the Nkungwe Beach Lodge.

Day 5:
MahaleMountains
The full day is spent bird-watching and chimpanzee tracking in the Mahale Mountains.
We have a picnic lunch in the mountain forest and go on a walking safari in the mountains in the afternoon. This will be followed in the late afternoon with leisure time along the beach on Lake Tanganyika. We dine and overnight at the Nkungwe Beach Lodge.

Day 6:
Depart Mahale for Kigoma Town
After breakfast we depart for Kigoma by boat. We arrive in Kigoma Town in time for lunch. The afternoon and late afternoon will be spent at your leisure. We have dinner and stay overnight at the Kigoma Hill Top Hotel which is set on a remote outcrop with beautiful gardens overlooking Lake Tanganyika.

Day 7:
Depart Kigoma Town for the Gombe Stream
After breakfast we depart for the Gombe Stream National Park by boat along Lake Tanganyika. Upon arrival we proceed with game viewing and chimpanzee tracking and climb the Kakombe waterfalls. We return to the Gombe Forest Lodge were we will have dinner and stay overnight.

Day 8:
Game viewing & Chimpanzee tracking
After breakfast, we go game viewing, bird-watching, chimpanzee tracking and climb to Jane's peak in the Gombe Stream National Park. We return to Gombe Forest Lodge for dinner and our overnight stay.

Day 9:
Depart Gombe Stream National Park for Kigoma then to Dar es Salaam
After breakfast we return by boat and then by 4WD to Kigoma Town. We have lunch at the Kigoma Hill Top Hotel and then transfer to the airport for our 18:00 scheduled flight to Dar es Salaam. On arrival in Dar es Salaam you will either overnight or take your connecting flight home.

The package includes:
Accommodation and meals as per itinerary
All airport transfers in private car
Flights: Arusha - Katavi - Mahale - Kigoma - Dar es Salaam. Boat Kigoma - Gombe - Kigoma
Transport and wildlife drives in 4WD Land Cruiser or Land Rover with photographic roof hatch
Services of a professional safari guide
All wildlife reserve entry fees
Conservation fees