Chimpanzee Habituation
A long-running habituation project with a community of reintroduced chimps — forest walks with researchers tracking their progress, an intimate and rarely-visited alternative to Kibale.
Rubondo Island National Park
An island wilderness on Lake Victoria — chimp habituation, forest walks, fishing, and a cast of reintroduced species in one of Africa's most unusual and uncrowded national parks.
Overview
Rubondo Island is one of Africa's best-kept secrets — an island park on Lake Victoria where chimps were reintroduced and are now partially habituated, where sitatunga and grey-cheeked mangabey move through riverine forest, and where Nile perch fishing from the lake shore can be world class. With just one camp on the island, this is genuinely off-the-beaten-track East Africa — best woven into an itinerary as a remarkable four-night detour from the northern Tanzania circuit.
Rubondo at a Glance
- Location
- Northwestern Tanzania, Lake Victoria
- Size
- 457 km²
- Altitude
- 1,130 — 1,480 m
- Best Time to Visit
- June–February
Key Attractions
Birdlife of Lake Victoria
Over 300 bird species recorded — African fish eagle, pied kingfisher, goliath heron, and the rare shoebill in the papyrus fringe of the lake.
Pristine Forest Walks
A dense tropical forest of ebony, wild mango and giant ficus — walked with specialist naturalist guides, tracking chimp signs and the island's unique community of reintroduced mammals.
Frequently Asked Questions
A charter flight from the Serengeti or Mwanza (1–1.5 hours) lands on the island's grass airstrip, followed by a short boat transfer to camp. We include the full routing in our itineraries.