Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge

The tiny but fascinating Gombe National Park is 20km (12 miles) north of Kigoma in western Tanzania. This is one of Tanzania’s smallest national parks, amongst hilly terrain on Lake Tanganyika’s eastern shore.

Gombe is only accessible by boat from the town of Kigoma. A boat transfer takes around 90 minutes. The nearest airport is Kigoma, and you can fly there from the international airports of Kilimanjaro International Airport (from where charter flights can be taken) or from the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam (from where there are scheduled flights.)

Gombe National Park’s biggest claim to fame is the population of primates, including vervet monkeys, olive baboons, red colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, and of course, the chimpanzees made world-famous by the pioneering research of Jane Goodall. And there are fascinating birds, colorful butterflies, and interesting plant life, too.

Visitors can expect Gombe to be hot and humid, with temperatures reaching 26°C/79°F during the day and reducing to about 16°C/61°F at night-time.

The Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge is in the tiny Gombe National Park by Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania.

Visitors should choose the dry season, between May and October, as the famous chimpanzees tend to remain on the lower parts of the park’s hills. This makes them much easier to track. It is much sunnier during these months, and it rarely rains. Despite being the best months, this park never really gets crowded. Between November and April, the rains make the tracks slippery and muddy, and the chimpanzees are on the higher slopes and harder to locate. The temperature is high, as is the humidity.

While the Gombe National Park can – in theory – be visited most of the year, the Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge normally close in March, April and May for maintenance. 

Guests can check in to the Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge from 12.00 hours and must check out by 10.00 hours.

Guests at the Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge can book either a double or twin-bedded safari tent.

Tents at the Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge feature a deck/verandah, power points, an en suite bathroom with shower, laundry service (free), mosquito nets, and tea/coffee.

The Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge offers a bar, free Wi-Fi, battery charging, a free laundry service, a library, and a restaurant.

Yes, the Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge welcomes children of all ages. Rates vary according to age. The minimum age to participate in chimpanzee trekking in Gombe National Park is 15 years.

Yes, though, it is essential that special dietary requirements or allergies are notified to the Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge at the time of booking. The remote location can make it impossible to accommodate last-minute requests.

Please note that a limit of six house beverages per person per day is included in the rate. (Additional drinks are chargeable.) Unlimited water and soft drinks are included.

No, the water from the tap is not safe for consumption at Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge. Please use bottled mineral water for drinking and brushing your teeth.

Yes, the Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge is a safe place to stay. 

Yes, the Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge has several activities, trips, and services available, some at an extra charge. These include boating, fishing, bird-watching, guided walks, visits to a local village, kayaking, chimpanzee trekking, and swimming.

The rate at the Mbali Mbali Gombe Lodge includes accommodation, three daily meals, six house beverages per day (all extra drinks are chargeable), unlimited water and soft drinks, laundry (limited service), one chimpanzee trek per day, and kayaking on the lake. Some boat and airport transfers may be free, depending on the length of stay and number of guests.

Specifically excluded are services of a flying doctor/medical evacuation, travel Insurance, staff tips, any TANAPA conservation or park entry fees, TANAPA Concession fees, fishing excursion ($85 per person), boat safari and cultural trips to the neighboring fishing village of Mwamgongo and Kazinga ($25 per person), and any extra meals ($35 per meal) or drinks ($10 per drink, premium drinks may be more).

A minimum two-night stay (or four full-paying guests) per group is required for the return boat transfer from Kigoma – Gombe – Kigoma (otherwise, USD 400 per group) and the return airport transfer from Kigoma Airport – Kigoma Hilltop Hotel – Kigoma Airport ($50 for maximum four passengers in the vehicle).