Greystoke Mahale

Greystoke Mahale sits on a pristine, white sandy beach overlooking the turquoise waters of Lake Tanganyika with the forested slopes of the majestic Mahale Mountains in the background. This unique and remote camp has just 6 wood and thatch bandas, which are open-fronted, with heavy canvas curtains you can pull across if you choose. The rooms are built of sustainably sourced local materials and are hidden back by the forest line so your view is of beach and the lake beyond. All the wood used to build this unique camp is reclaimed from wrecked or retired dhows bought (after much haggling) from villages along the lakeshore.  The camp has used old fisherman’s canoes as ladders and thatch from palm trees gathered outside the national park for the roofs. Each room has an en-suite bathroom, accessible by a short boardwalk, with hot and cold running water, strong showers and flush toilets. There’s also a dressing room and upstairs deck to star gaze.

The main mess area is the only structure on the beach and it's the focal point of camp.  Here is where you can look out over the lake to the mountains of the Congo in the haze beyond. Your days typically start here, eating breakfast while waiting to hear news of the chimps and deciding what to do with your day. Evenings end with sundowners on the rocks of the headland, where drinks are served around the lamp-lit bar while the mountains disappear into the darkness.

Greystoke thatched rooms

The six rooms at Greystoke are entirely in-keeping with the setting. When Roland Purcell established his camp here, he was conscious of the responsibility of ensuring a light footprint. Built of thatch and salvaged dhow wood, each of the open-fronted rooms is tucked into the treeline, almost invisible to the passing fishermen in their small canoes. The rooms all have verandahs and an upstairs chill-out lounge with views across the white sand to the vastness of Lake Tanganyika.

The rooms are open-fronted with great canvas drapes which can be closed in the event of a storm. The twin or double beds nestle beneath a canopied net. A dressing area leads on to an en-suite bathroom. There's running water here, with a boiler that is lit on request to preserve energy, and a flush loo. The rich foliage that gives the camp such character can be enjoyed while you are showering in privacy.

Chimping

Nomad share the mountains and the lake with so many animals, but it's the chimps that inspire; it's hard not to compare their daily lives, their movements, feeding, squabbling, foraging and grooming, with our own. Time spent with them is time away from everything else that is ordinary. The Greystoke guides have watched, over the years, as families have grown, alpha males have come and gone, bonds and friendships have been created and then broken, and then created again. They are not so different from us.

After tracking them, for an hour or two, maybe more, only aware of the sounds they are making ahead of you, you find them; suddenly they are everywhere. You sit quietly on the forest floor and take a deep breath, this is what it's all about. For the next hour it's as if you scarcely breathe, so wrapped up are you in watching them go about their daily life. You become aware of the subtleties of different relationships, through gesture, sound and expression. One dictating the pace, another courting favour, yet another perhaps plotting a coup. There is humour too as the young chimps fall about the floor and play remarkably human games. It's all acted out on this natural chimpanzee stage, and witnessing it is a true privilege.

Activities at Greystoke

Hike the forest paths looking for birds and butterflies, as well as the other shy mammals who quietly live there. Swim in ice-cold pools up in the mountain waterfalls, take a kayak out for a dawn paddle towards the middle of the lake; drink your morning coffee there and enjoy the sunrise coming up over the mountains.

Go for sundowners on the old wooden dhow, lazily following the shoreline and stopping to fish along the way, or just relax on the warm sands of the beach with a drink in hand.

As part of the Nomad Tanzania Trust, 100% of its donations go to the projects they support. As a company that was born from and is grounded in its love of wilderness, we take our responsibility as its custodians seriously. The focus of the Nomad Trust is on supporting and creating awareness for projects in Conservation, Education and Health, areas strongly aligned with our core Nomad values. We know that without an active involvement in conservation, and our commitment to sustainable management of Tanzania’s wonderful wildlife and habitats, our children won’t have the pleasure and privilege.

CONSERVATION
We know that without our active commitment to the sustainable managemrnt of Tanzania's wildlife and habits, our children won't have the sustainable management of Tanzania's wildlife and habitats, our children won't have the pleasure and privilege.

EDUCATION
Taking education beyond the classroom, we support programs that focus on building the foundations of better educated and more aware communities.

https://www.packforapurpose.org/destinations/africa/tanzania/greystoke-mahale/

HEALTH
Giving back to our Nomad neighbors, we aim to improve the basic health care resources found in some of the more remote forgotten villages many in Nomad call home.

For more information about Greystok Mahale click HERE. 

Big Game & Chimp Trip
Immerse yourself in this breathtaking 8-day itinerary on which you will experience some of western Tanzania’s most game-rich and pristine destinations. Travel this region, and marvel at wildlife spectacles that will take your breath away and create indelible memories. The famed Serengeti, renowned for its prolific wildlife, migrating throngs, and big cat predators, has a secret corner – the western side. A place of fewer vehicles, less people and wildlife in abundance all year round. In this area, sensational sightings will be the order of the day, with lions a daily feature, along with large herds of topi, buffalo, elephants and other big cat predators. It is also the only place in the Serengeti that you will see black and white colobus monkeys.

The next leg of your adventure will take you to Arusha, Tanzania’s safari gateway city, for an overnight stop. On the following day, fly to the remote Western part of Tanzania to Lake Tanganyika, where you and your group will take a boat ride across the turquoise waters of Lake Tanganyika to another secret gem – the Mahale Mountains National Park. Your time here will be spent trekking deep into the lush jungle foliage in search of the engaging Mahale chimpanzees and enjoying the gentle activity offerings of Africa’s longest freshwater lake. This incredible journey offers the rare opportunity to explore the secluded wildlife havens of western Tanzania.

3 nights Serengeti National Park | 1 night Arusha | 3 nights Mahale Mountains National Park

Day 1: Arusha to Grumeti
A member of the &Beyond team will collect from your hotel in Arusha and will take you to Arusha Airport for your scheduled flight to the Grumeti airstrip in the Western Serengeti. When you land at the Grumeti airstrip, your &Beyond guide will be waiting for you to transfer you to andBeyond Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp. The lodge is just a 10-minute drive away. You can then settle in, and explore the beautiful surroundings.

Day 2-3: Serengeti National Park
Wake up early for the sunrise and have your camera ready. This area is legendary for its perfect light. Don’t miss the twice-daily game drives in this celebrated wildlife sanctuary, a region of immense scientific value and big cats, set against a backdrop of natural beauty. Treasure all your exclusive moments in this secluded wildlife Eden.

Take the opportunity to sit on your cool, shady veranda, watching the antics of the resident hippo pod in the nearby pool, while sipping on your favorite beverage. Dine under a canopy of stars, with only the sounds of the African bush around you.

Day 4: Arusha
Take a flight from the Serengeti to Arusha. Upon your arrival at Arusha Airport, you will be welcomed by a member of the &Beyond team, who will transfer you by car to the plantation-style luxurious Arusha Coffee Lodge. Your activity options include a guided coffee-plantation tour and the processes of nurturing, harvesting, drying and roasting a variety of blends. This is a must-do for all coffee enthusiasts. 

Perhaps you would prefer to visit the social enterprise Shanga that employs people with disabilities to create beautiful products including jewelery, blown glass pieces, and intricate woven garments.

Day 5-7: Mahale Mountains National Park
A member from our &Beyond team will collect you from Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge and drive you to Arusha Airport in time for your scheduled light aircraft flight to Mahale Airstrip. Take a flight (approximately 5 hours with one stop) to Mahale, where you will be welcomed by a Greystoke Mahale representative and guide. After a delicious lunch on your boat, you will start your 90-minute boat transfer along the shores of Lake Tanganyika to the lodge.

Embark on an adventurous trek through the rainforest where Mahale’s endangered chimpanzees live, and other wildlife including leopard, bushbuck and bush pig can be spotted. Enjoy numerous lake activities including fishing for freshwater tropical cichlids and kayaking. Evening options include simply relaxing on the shore in these beautiful surroundings, perhaps taking a lake cruise on a dhow, or a rejuvenating lake swim. Head off daily in groups of 6 on forest treks in search of the Mahale chimpanzees together with your guide and specialist trackers. Once located, cherish this rare opportunity to watch their captivating social and family interaction.

Day 8: Departure
After a delicious breakfast, take your boat trip back to the airstrip, where you will take your schedule light aircraft flight back to Arusha, you will connect to your onward journey.

*Contact us for current rates and availability.

To see a video on Greystoke Mahale click HERE