Home Travel Destinations Western Tanzania Tourism Circuit

The Western Tourism Circuit of Tanzania is a remote area with parks near Lake Tanganyika and the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. It is mainly accessible from Kigoma by light aircraft or boat. The main entry hubs to the circuit are through flights from Arusha, Dar es Salaam, or Zanzibar.

The circuit comprises several parks, including Katavi National Park, the fourth largest in Tanzania, and one of the least visited. This park boasts a huge concentration of big game and the endangered wild dog. Also, there is Gombe Stream National Park, famous for its fascinating forests, chimpanzee treks, and the Jane Goodall Foundation. The Mahale National Park is located on the shores of Lake Tanganyika and is home to the world’s largest population of chimpanzees. Rubondo Island National Park, the largest island park in Africa and one of the two Tanzania island parks located in Lake Victoria, presents some rare safari adventures. Other notable attractions on the Western Circuit are the two great lakes of Tanganyika and Victoria.

Although parks in this circuit are not as popular as those in the north, they offer their unique attractions. The best times to visit parks in this circuit are June to October (Mahale), February to June (Gombe), and December to April (Katavi).