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Scenes From Lake Tanganyika
Extraordinary African Safaris
The longest freshwater lake on Earth — impossibly clear water, jewel-coloured fish, and the forested chimpanzee shores of Gombe and Mahale.
Lake Tanganyika is one of the natural wonders of Africa — the longest freshwater lake in the world, the second-deepest and second-oldest, holding a vast share of the planet’s surface fresh water. It forms Tanzania’s western border, a 670-kilometre ribbon of astonishingly clear, deep-blue water hemmed by mountains and forest, far from the safari north.
Its clarity and isolation have made it an evolutionary treasure-house. The lake holds hundreds of species of cichlid fish found nowhere else on Earth, in colours so vivid that snorkelling its rocky shallows feels like swimming in a tropical aquarium. Along its forested eastern shore lie the chimpanzee parks of Gombe and Mahale, where mountains plunge straight into the water.
For travellers, Lake Tanganyika is experienced through its parks and the port of Kigoma — fly-in chimpanzee trekking at Mahale, the historic shores at Gombe and Ujiji, and lake swimming and snorkelling between treks. It suits those drawn to the wild west of Tanzania, combining great apes with one of the world’s most remarkable lakes.
Lake Tanganyika is reached via Kigoma, served by scheduled flights from Dar es Salaam and Arusha, with onward flights and boats to Mahale and boats to Gombe. Most travellers experience the lake as part of a chimpanzee trip, combining trekking with swimming and snorkelling. The dry season is most reliable for travel and the clearest water. Mahale’s camps typically close in the long rains.
Snorkelling among electric-blue fish in water you could read a book through, then trekking chimps in the mountains above — Lake Tanganyika is unlike anywhere else in Africa. — Guest review, TripAdvisor
Calm, clear water for swimming and snorkelling, and the best chimp-trekking conditions at Mahale and Gombe. The prime window.
Best overallThe forest is still green as the rains end and chimps often range lower. A beautiful, quieter start to the season.
Best for green sceneryBrief storms keep the shores lush; the lake stays glorious between showers. Quieter and good value.
Best for solitudeThe wettest stretch, when access is harder and most Mahale camps close. The quietest months.
Most camps closed
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