Mahale Mountains National Park

The chimpanzees that form part of the ‘M’ Group, although habituated, are wild animals and the chimp trekking time varies. Their feeding pattern differs slightly from year to year and is dependent on the food sources within their home range. Whilst they could be in the forest right behind camp, they could also be far up the mountain and possibly a 5 - 7 hour trek away.

From May to July the trekking is usually longer, as then the chimps are often found in the higher parts of their home range, up in the mountains. During these dry months, when food is scarce, the chimps are not always as vocal and are usually found in much smaller groups.

August to February allows for shorter treks, as then the chimps move to the foothills. Although light rains start in November, which can sometimes make visibility in the forest difficult, food is abundant and the chimps are more vocal and will often be found in larger groups.

Gombe Stream National Park

There are two distinct seasons for chimp tracking in Gombe. During the dry season, June to October, the chimpanzees are usually further away from the camp and it can take anything from 5 minutes to 5 or 6 hours to find them. Sightings are, however, generally better as the chimps are down on the ground more than during the rains. At this time of year the light is at its best for photographing the chimps. During the rainy season, November to May, it rains almost every day and the light is not usually as good for photography. The chimps are closer to the camp in the rainy season so the walks are shorter, roughly 2 hours maximum. However, they often stay up in the trees during this period, as it is drier than down on the ground.