Gombe National Park

Gombe National Park is a small protected forest reserve on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika in western Tanzania, known internationally for chimpanzee research. It is the site where Jane Goodall began long-term studies of wild chimpanzees in the 1960s.

The park is compact and visited on guided footwalks and boat trips along the lake shore; the main attraction is habituated chimpanzee groups that researchers and guided visitors can observe from close range. Trails through the forest connect observation points and bring visitors to lakeside viewpoints.

Gombe became internationally known when Jane Goodall established long-term behavioural studies of chimpanzees in the early 1960s; the research there revolutionized primatology and drew global attention to chimpanzee conservation. The area has since been protected and managed for both research and tourism.

Gombe lies on the western edge of Tanzania in Kigoma Region, directly on the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika and accessible by boat from Kigoma town to the south.

• Research history: Long-term chimpanzee behavioural studies began here in the 1960s under Jane Goodall and continue to shape primatology and conservation work at the park.
• How to see wildlife: Guided forest walks and boat access along Lake Tanganyika are the primary ways visitors see chimpanzees and other wildlife; viewing is only by foot or boat with guides to reduce disturbance.

What to See #

• Research centre: The long-term research centre established by Jane Goodall and later maintained by research organisations is located at the park and serves as a base for chimpanzee studies.
• Lake Tanganyika shoreline and trails: The park protects a narrow strip of forest along the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika, with trails leading to chimpanzee observation points and shoreline viewpoints.