Western Safari Experience
Route: Arusha/Dar es Salaam → Katavi → Mahale Mountains → Gombe Stream → Return
Ideal For: Adventure seekers, primate lovers, wilderness explorers, exclusive safari enthusiasts
Duration: 6 Nights / 7 Days | Best Time: May-October (Dry Season)
Journey Overview
For travellers seeking a truly remote and off the beaten track safari experience, Western Tanzania offers something rare and untouched. WildMiles Safari is drawn to this region for its raw wilderness, exclusivity, and unspoiled landscapes.
These areas are rarely visited, making them ideal for travellers who desire a more intimate and exclusive safari. The main highlights include Katavi National Park, Gombe Stream National Park, and Mahale Mountains National Park. Here, the crowds disappear, the land grows wilder, and wildlife encounters become even more extraordinary.
At WildMiles, we specialise in crafting immersive and personalised journeys into this little explored region, where adventure is slow, intimate, and deeply rewarding.
This is safari at its most exclusive. Remote. Untouched. Extraordinary.
What Makes Western Circuit Unique
Chimpanzee Trekking
Track chimpanzees in two different parks – Mahale Mountains and Gombe Stream, home of Jane Goodall’s research.
True Wilderness
Experience Tanzania’s most remote parks with minimal tourist traffic and maximum wildlife encounters.
Lake Tanganyika
Explore the world’s second deepest freshwater lake with swimming, snorkeling, and fishing opportunities.
Walking Safaris
Experience the bush on foot in Katavi National Park with expert guides.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival → Katavi National Park
Early in the morning, take a domestic flight from Arusha or Dar es Salaam to Katavi National Park. Katavi is one of the most remote parks in Tanzania, offering an unspoiled and truly wild experience.
After landing at the airstrip, you will be transferred to your camp. Katavi is known for its large populations of elephants, hippos, buffaloes, lions, leopards, and wild dogs. With very few visitors in the park, your wildlife viewing experience will be exceptional.
Katavi Highlights:
Large Elephant Herds Hippo Pods Wild Dog Sightings Remote WildernessDinner and overnight at the camp, surrounded by the sounds of the African night.
Day 2: Katavi National Park
Spend a full day exploring Katavi National Park. The park is renowned for its seasonal floodplains and the Mwamba River, where large herds of elephants often gather for water.
Visit the Katisunga Plains and Lake Katavi, home to a wide variety of wildlife. In the dry season (June-October), witness spectacular concentrations of hippos and crocodiles in shrinking waterholes.
Day Activities:
Game Drives: Explore the vast plains and river systems
Walking Safari: Optional walking safari with a trained local guide, offering an up-close connection with the wilderness (additional cost may apply).
In the evening, relax with sundowners and dinner at the camp under a canopy of stars.
Day 3: Katavi → Mahale Mountains
After breakfast, fly from Katavi National Park to Mahale Mountains. The flight takes approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, offering breathtaking aerial views of Western Tanzania.
Mahale Mountains lie along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, one of the deepest lakes in the world and famous for its chimpanzee population. Upon arrival, transfer to your camp via boat and spend the afternoon relaxing by the lake.
Afternoon Activities:
Lake Relaxation: Swim in the crystal-clear waters of Lake Tanganyika
Beach Time: Enjoy the pristine sandy beaches
Boat Trip: Optional short boat excursion (depending on arrival time)
Dinner and overnight at the camp with views of the lake and mountains.
Day 4: Mahale Mountains National Park
After breakfast, begin one of WildMiles’ favourite experiences in Tanzania – chimpanzee trekking in Mahale Mountains.
Track chimpanzees through dense forest, observing them in their natural habitat. The trek can take 1-5 hours depending on the location of the chimpanzee groups. You’ll spend one magical hour observing these incredible primates up close.
Afternoon Activities:
Lake Activities: Return to camp for lunch, then choose from swimming, snorkeling, or fishing on Lake Tanganyika
Forest Walk: Optional guided forest walk to spot other wildlife and birds
Relaxation: Simply relax and enjoy the spectacular setting
Enjoy dinner and a peaceful evening at the camp surrounded by nature.
Day 5: Mahale Mountains → Gombe Stream National Park
In the morning, take a scenic two-hour boat ride from your lodge to Gombe Stream National Park. This journey along Lake Tanganyika offers stunning views of the mountains and shoreline.
Gombe Stream National Park is famous for Jane Goodall’s chimpanzee research and offers a more intimate experience due to its smaller size. It’s one of the smallest national parks in Tanzania but incredibly rich in primate diversity.
In the afternoon, trek in search of chimpanzees and enjoy the surrounding scenery. If time allows, hike to a waterfall and cool off in its waters.
Gombe Stream Highlights:
Jane Goodall Research Site Intimate Chimpanzee Encounters Waterfall Hikes Lake TanganyikaDinner and overnight at the lodge overlooking the lake.
Day 6: Gombe Stream → Arusha or Dar es Salaam
After breakfast, enjoy one final chimpanzee trek in Gombe Stream National Park, or take a guided forest walk to spot other primates including red colobus monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, and olive baboons.
After lunch, begin your journey back to Arusha or Dar es Salaam via Kigoma. You’ll take a boat transfer to Kigoma town, then connect with your flight back to your starting point.
Final Morning Options:
Chimpanzee Trek: Final opportunity to observe chimpanzees
Forest Walk: Guided walk to learn about other forest species
Beach Relaxation: Last moments by Lake Tanganyika
Arrive in Arusha or Dar es Salaam in the evening, marking the end of your Western Safari adventure.
Day 7: Departure or Extension
Today is your departure day or the start of an optional extension.
Extension Options:
Zanzibar Beach: Add 3-7 nights on the beautiful beaches of Zanzibar
Northern Safari: Combine with a Northern Circuit safari for the complete Tanzania experience
Lake Victoria: Extend to explore Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake
Cultural Extension: Visit local communities around Lake Tanganyika
Transfer to the airport for your international flight or begin your chosen extension.
Western Circuit Highlights
What’s Included
Package Inclusions
- Domestic flights: Arusha/Dar → Katavi → Mahale → Kigoma → Return
- All park entrance and conservation fees
- Chimpanzee trekking permits (Mahale & Gombe)
- Boat transfers on Lake Tanganyika
- Accommodation in remote bush camps and lodges
- All meals during the safari (B, L, D)
- Bottled drinking water throughout
- Expert local guides for chimpanzee trekking
- Game drives in Katavi National Park
- Airport transfers on arrival and departure
- Government taxes and VAT
Optional Add-ons
- Walking safari in Katavi National Park ($80 per person)
- Fishing on Lake Tanganyika ($60 per person)
- Snorkeling equipment rental ($30 per person)
- Photography workshop with professional guide
- Luxury tent upgrade
- Zanzibar beach extension (3-7 nights)
- Northern Circuit combination safari
- Cultural visits to local fishing villages
Why Choose Western Circuit?
Most Remote Experience
Visit Tanzania’s least-accessed parks with minimal tourist traffic for truly exclusive wildlife encounters.
Primate Paradise
Track chimpanzees in two different parks – double the primate experience.
Lake & Forest Combination
Combine safari in Katavi with lake activities on Lake Tanganyika – diverse experiences in one trip.
Authentic Adventure
Experience real wilderness with fly-in access and remote camps – no roads, no crowds.
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