Southern & Western Circuit

8-Day Mahale Chimpanzee Trekking + Katavi

8 Days luxury 2 stops From $5,500 pp
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Photo: Vishva Patel / Pexels
Duration8 Days
Price (pp)$5,500–12,000
Difficultyluxury
Stops2

Overview

About this safari

Remote western Tanzania at its wildest — chimpanzee trekking with trained trackers in Mahale, paired with Katavi's untouched wilderness.

✦ The moment

Sitting a few metres from a wild chimpanzee troop in dense forest.

Your route

2 stops
  1. 01

    Mahale Mountains National Park

    Mahale Mountains National Park combines chimpanzee trekking with the pristine shores of Lake Tanganyika in one of Africa's most remote and exclusive destinations. Accessible only by boat or small aircraft, Mahale offers swimming, snorkelling, and walking alongside its habituated chimp communities.

    Explore Mahale Mountains National Park →
  2. 02

    Katavi National Park

    Katavi National Park is Tanzania's most remote major park, offering one of Africa's most extraordinary dry-season spectacles: hundreds of hippopotami wallowing in shrinking mud pools while lions and crocodiles compete for space around them.

    Explore Katavi National Park →

The journey

Your route on the map

Day by day

How the 8 days unfold

Day 1

Arrival & transfer

Met on arrival and transferred to your first camp. Time to settle in, meet your guide, and run through the days ahead.

Days 5–7 3 nights

Katavi National Park

Katavi National Park is Tanzania's most remote major park, offering one of Africa's most extraordinary dry-season spectacles: hundreds of hippopotami wallowing in shrinking mud pools while lions and crocodiles compete for space around them.

What to expect in Katavi National Park →
Day 8

Departure

A final morning activity where timings allow, then transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

An outline, not a timetable. Daily order and camp choices are confirmed when we build your quote — and can be reshaped around your dates, pace and interests.

When to do this safari

How this is scored →

Averaged across every park on this route, from three years of rainfall and temperature. Strongest months: Jul, Aug, Jun, Sep.

Jan 52
Feb 66
Mar 40
Apr 46
May 90
Jun 98
Jul 100
Aug 99
Sep 91
Oct 77
Nov 29
Dec 30

The detail

What's included

Included

  • Park & conservation area entry fees
  • Professional English-speaking safari guide
  • 4x4 safari vehicle with pop-up roof & guaranteed window seat
  • Accommodation as per itinerary
  • Meals as specified (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
  • Bottled drinking water on safari days
  • Airport transfers on arrival & departure
  • All government taxes & VAT
Route advantage: Chimp trekking permit fee, trained trackers

Not included

  • International & domestic flights
  • Tanzania visa & passport fees
  • Travel & medical insurance
  • Tips & gratuities for guide and staff
  • Personal items, drinks & laundry
  • Optional activities (balloon safari, cultural tours)
  • Anything not listed under "What's included"
Good to know: Chimp sighting not 100% guaranteed
From $5,500 per person · up to $12,000 pp

Before you go

Good to know

How fit do I need to be?

This safari is rated luxury. Game-viewing days are spent mostly in the vehicle, so ordinary mobility is enough — the tiring part is early starts and long, corrugated roads, not walking. Tell us about knees, backs or mobility needs and we will adjust the driving days and seat allocation rather than leave you to tough it out.

Is the price per person or for the whole group?

Every figure we publish is per person, and the range reflects season and camp choice rather than a bait price. Small groups usually pay more per head than large ones, because the vehicle and guide are shared across fewer people. We will show you exactly where your number lands before you commit to anything.

What is the vehicle like, and will I get a window seat?

A 4x4 with a pop-up roof and a guaranteed window seat for every traveller — that is in the inclusions above and it is not negotiable, because a middle seat ruins a safari. If you are photographing seriously, ask us about a private vehicle: it costs more, but it means the car stops when you want it to.

Do I need vaccinations or anti-malarials?

Requirements change and depend on your route and country of origin, so we will not pretend to be your doctor. Yellow fever proof is commonly required when arriving from certain countries, and malaria prophylaxis is standard advice for these regions. Speak to a travel clinic well before departure — ideally six to eight weeks out.

What happens if I need to change dates?

Talk to us early. Camps hold space on deposit, and how much flexibility we have depends on how far out you are and which camps are involved. We will tell you plainly what is recoverable and what is not, rather than discovering it for you after the fact.

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Make 8-Day Mahale Chimpanzee Trekking + Katavi yours

Every safari is tailor-made — tell us your dates and travellers and we'll refine it for you.