Big Five and chimpanzees in luxury lodges

NORTHERN SERENGETI – KOGATENDE

Set out to find the famous Big Five — lion, leopard, black rhinoceros, buffalo and elephant — and observe wildlife in its most authentic form. Let yourself be guided through this unpredictable natural environment, where close encounters with animals are part of daily life.

We recommend the northern Serengeti region. It is a far more exclusive area than the south and centre of the Serengeti, with very few lodges established there. It is also harder to reach: from the Seronera area (central Serengeti), a full day of safari driving is needed to get there.

The region holds resident wildlife year-round, but its main asset is the Mara River, which crosses it and draws the migration from July onward, when the wildebeest herds move north toward the park’s edge and into Kenya, or back south again in October.

Between August and October, the Great Migration is mostly found in the Masai Mara in Kenya, though it regularly crosses back into Tanzania near Kogatende via the Mara River. It generally returns progressively to the Serengeti by late September / early October, before heading south toward Olduvai.

MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

After the thrill of tracking the Big Five, Mahale National Park and its chimpanzees await.

After a light aircraft flight, you will reach your lodge by dhow (a traditional sailing boat), set on the shores of Lake Tanganyika — an exceptional location.

Deep in the heart of Africa and inaccessible by road, the setting recalls an idyllic beach on an Indian Ocean island. Coves of fine white sand bordered by the azure waters of Lake Tanganyika are overlooked by jungle-covered peaks rising more than 2,000 metres above the coastline: the remote, mysterious Mahale Mountains.

A cry suddenly echoes through the depths of the forest, immediately taken up by a dozen other voices in a rising, frantic crescendo… there is no doubt — you are walking through Mahale’s ancient forest, preparing for an imminent encounter with our closest relative, the chimpanzee.

The Mahale Mountains are home to the last wild chimpanzees of Africa: a population of around 800 individuals.

Besides the chimpanzees, eight other primate species live here, along with various forest mammals, leopards, birds, butterflies, giant lianas and waterfalls to discover.

You will stay at Greystoke Mahale, in one of its six distinctive suites — raised structures with a colonial-style decor, built from local, traditional materials, like birds poised to take flight.

On the programme: chimpanzee treks with the lodge’s English-speaking guide (ages 12 and up), natural rock pools on the mountainside, dhow or kayak trips on the lake, birdwatching, and forest walks.

Swimming, however, is forbidden — at the risk of becoming a crocodile’s prey!

At Mahale, prepare for an unforgettable journey and discoveries unlike any other!