Tanzania's last frontier

Spend four nights in one of the most isolated spots in Tanzania. Its remote location means intrepid safari-goers can revel in wide-open savannah plains without another vehicle in sight. The dry season offers some of the most intense game viewing in Africa: large herds of buffalo on the move; crocodiles retreating to the river bank caves; hippos in their hundreds crammed into the dwindling pools. In the evening, sling a bedroll under a borassus palm and sleep out under the Milky Way. 

A 25-minute flight takes you over the Mahale mountains landing on the banks of Lake Tanganyika, the second deepest lake in the world. You won’t find crowds or traffic jams here, just the sound of the wilderness reverberating. Rather than a vehicle, a dhow (traditional sailing boat) will shuttle you 90-minutes across the deliciously blue water. Your camp for the next three nights sits on the jungle-fringed lakeshore of Mahale National Park, where you can idle the rest of the afternoon away on the white beach.

The Mahale National Park remains largely untrodden receiving only 3,000 annual visitors. This adds to the thrilling atmosphere when seeking out its most exciting resident, the chimpanzee. This is your chance to see habituated chimps in their natural environment with an expert guide. Hike up the Mahale mountains where you’ll find them residing in the lush canopy. It’s an emotional experience locking eyes with our closest relatives. Observe them rolling in the aspilia and wonder at the young adults swinging through the tree tops.