Meeting with Chimpanzees and discovering Lake Tanganyika

You take a domestic flight* to Kigoma , on the shores of Lake Tanganyika.

Upon your arrival, in the morning or early afternoon, you will be greeted by Peter, your English-speaking guide, who will take you to lunch at a local restaurant: Unique Kitchen.

You can then drop off your luggage in your hotel rooms and take a first short tour with the guide in the charming lakeside town of Kigoma, its colorful market, its colonial station and if it is in port, see the MV Liemba, the oldest ship in the world still in operation.

This morning your guide will take you on a bike tour in the Kitwa Forest, on the western edge of the city, offering magnificent views of Lake Tanganyika. Starting the tour at Katanga Port, you'll learn a lot about the different communities living in Kigoma and their activities.

Then, the forest will reveal its secrets with a few stops to discover medicinal plants, viewpoints, and wildlife. With a bit of luck, you might see a shy dik-dik or a family of grivet monkeys.

After a picnic, you will go to the pier to take the boat to Gombe Stream.

A boat safari will allow you to gently cruise along the shores of the lake, see villages, some of which can only be reached by boat, and observe palm vultures and cormorants drying their wings on driftwood.

You will reach Gombe after a two-hour boat ride and can rest while the camp staff prepare the campfire on the beach and dinner.

This morning you will set off across the Gombe mountain range for your encounter with the chimpanzees. After a briefing that will give you all the information about the chimpanzee families that live together in the park and the guidelines for a gentle encounter, you will have to walk for between 1 and 5 hours, depending on where they have been spotted.

If they are too far away today, there's no point in exhausting ourselves. They can be closer to camp tomorrow morning.

You are allowed to stay for an hour to observe them, then you have to leave them and go back down to the camp, passing through different biotopes to the beach where baboons often gather, which are also very interesting to observe.

In the afternoon, depending on your choice, you can rest at the camp or plan a hike to the Kakombe waterfalls.

A second morning to find or rediscover the chimpanzees.

Will you see "Gremlin", the 55-year-old matriarch? "Fudge", the alpha male? The little twins "Greta and Gordon"?

Will you be able to put down your camera to feel the magic of this moment: you and them, in this corner of the world?

Lunch awaits you back at the camp, then you will take the boat back to Kigoma.

This day of sharing with the Waha women will surely remain among the greatest memories of your trip.

Elisabeth founded Kigoma Cultural Tourism to support the women of the fishing village of Kalalangabo, whose lives revolve around products from the lake, palm groves, and handicrafts. Having gone to the capital to study tourism, she returned with the project of generating income through community-based tourism.

You will learn a lot while having fun and you will have the pleasure of seeing the traditional songs and dances of the region, a mixture of real and fictional stories which they will explain to you.

Witnessing the return of the fishermen to the port of Katonga and the throng of women who come to buy the fish is a challenging but exciting experience!

You can then return to the hotel for a nice, quiet breakfast and pack your bags for departure.

There will still be time to visit the small museum of the famous doctor and explorer David Livingstone and to stroll through the alleys of Tanzania's oldest city, Ujiji, sadly known as the central trading post for the slave trade from present-day Congo and Burundi to Zanzibar.

It is also a peaceful neighborhood where it is not uncommon to be invited into backyards to exchange a few greetings and where one can admire centuries-old mango trees planted by slaves along the road so that future generations could receive fruit and shade.

Airport transfer with a lunchbox and return flight* to Dar es Salaam

You will take the ferry mid-morning from the port of Dar es Salaam. After a crossing of approximately two hours, you will arrive in Stone Town. Our driver will help you bring your luggage to Kholle House, and you can have lunch in the garden while you wait for your room to be ready.

After lunch, walk with us through some of the narrowest streets in the world on this half-day tour. Thanks to its classification in 2000, Stone Town is regularly restored using traditional techniques and techniques—that's what gives it its unique charm! Visiting Stone Town promises a journey back in time.

At every turn, a market, a bazaar, or a mosque will whisper the stories of this city with its diverse cultural influences. Wander through its labyrinth and lose yourself in its alleyways! You're sure to stumble upon its iconic carved doors, hidden treasures of the city that bear witness to its past wealth.

Enjoy dinner at your leisure in the restaurant of your choice, in the alleys of Stone Town or by the sea!

You can also sample some local specialties at the Forodhani market, which is set up every evening in Forodhani Park, on the seafront.

Discover the local life of Jambiani through an authentic immersion in the heart of Zanzibari traditions.

This excursion takes you to meet the women of the seaweed farm, where you will discover their ancestral know-how, as well as how seaweed is cultivated and used on the island. You will also learn the traditional techniques of making coconut fiber rope.

During the visit, you will witness demonstrations of traditional sewing (kofia), basket weaving, and the preparation of local rice (pepeta), a sweet delicacy. You will also discover the colorful kanga fabrics worn by the women, as well as traditional henna, with explanations of its production from the plant and its cultural uses.

Embark from Kizimkazi aboard a traditional dhow for a full day exploring Pungume Island. After an initial snorkeling session to discover the corals and tropical fish, head to an idyllic sandbar for a swim. The crew then prepares a delicious barbecue of fresh seafood, served right on the water's edge. The day concludes with a gentle sail back through the mangroves, amidst unspoiled nature and a peaceful atmosphere.

The excursion takes place aboard a human-sized dhow, accommodating up to 13 passengers maximum, for a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Jambiani beach stretches for miles along white sand, where men still bring in their morning catches by dugout canoe, and children play football on the beach until the tide swallows their playing field. The houses are built in the traditional style with coral stone and thatched roofs, and the locals always welcome visitors with a smile and a friendly gesture.

Discover this little haven of peace at your own pace!

Enjoy one last day in Stone Town before heading to the airport for your return flight*.

*If your flight departs from Dar es Salaam, you can book a 20-minute flight from Zanzibar.