Greystoke Mahale
Greystoke Mahale is an exclusive bush lodge located on the shores of Lake Tanganyika in the Mahale Mountains National Park of western Tanzania.
Greystoke is an adventurous but upmarket bush lodge with a stunning location on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. The focus of the property is to access a habituated chimpanzee group in the densely forested Mahale Mountains, which provide an incredible back drop to the lodge, but Greystoke is also worth visiting to enjoy the remote location and scenery. The tumbling forest rolls down from the peaks to meet the white sand beaches and clear water of Lake Tanganyika to create a truly beautiful setting, where you can trek to see chimps in the morning and watch hippos and birdlife from a boat on the lake in the afternoon. The lodge is very exclusive and has a sophisticated, yet adventurous, feel with spacious open chalets, or ‘bandas’. built from thatch, reclaimed wood and bamboo. Service is friendly and efficient, the guides are very good and food is of a high quality, though the remote location will always mean the odd limitation. Despite the location and adventurous nature of the property, there is an element of style which makes this very much an individual lodge experience.
Rooms
Accommodation for a maximum of 18 guests is provided in eight spacious and private chalets, or ‘bandas’, set on raised timber platforms in the dense forest and palm groves. Each banda has a large A-framed thatched roof under which sits a front verandah, leading into the bedroom, with dressing room behind and bathroom to the side. The bandas have all been built using reclaimed wood from dhows on the lakeshore. The front of each banda is completely open (there are curtains which can be drawn to close off the front if preferred) and the sides are semi-open (again, reed blinds can be drawn at night) so you can hear the sounds of the forest and lake water. The en suite bathrooms are connected to the dressing room by a partly open-sided wooden walkway. The bathroom itself is semi-open and all under thatch and includes a wash basin, shower with hot and cold running water and separate flush toilet. Three of the bandas have a mezzanine level which can accommodate a third bed (perfect for families travelling with older kids) and a larger dressing room. The remaining double bandas have a smaller dressing room but have a rear verandah. All bandas except one have winding paths that lead down to a private ‘beach banda’ (a simple structure where you can relax across the day) and the beach. The eighth banda is built higher up and with views that stretch out above the forest canopy towards the lake in one direct, and the Mahale Mountains behind – this banda does not have a beach banda. The feel of all the accommodation is airy, open and unique – a Robinson Crusoe style safari lodge!
Central Areas
The thatched lounge and dining area sits impressively on the beach – dining takes place on the ground level or on the beach, while there are comfortable seating areas downstairs and upstairs, along with a library. There is also a small curio shop. A wooden walkway leads out over the water to a lookout bar built on top of a promontory where guests meet each evening to discuss their chimp trekking experiences of that day.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for Charging – Yes
Swimming Pool – No
Habitat & Wildlife
The Mahale Mountains rise to some 8,000 ft above sea-level on the western edge of Tanzania along the shores of Lake Tanganyika. The predominant habitat in one of sub-tropical forest, home to around 1,000 chimpanzees and nine other species of primate, including red-tailed, red colobus, black and white colobus and blue monkeys. One particular group of chimpanzees (totalling around 70 individuals) has been habituated by Japanese scientists who have researched the area for some many years. It is this group that guided treks follow, allowing guests to view these amazing apes as they go about their daily routine. The lake provides an inland sea of tropical delight with over a fifth of the 1000 or so species of cychlid fish endemic. The lake is also home to hippo and crocs. Birdlife is also prolific, although it is along the lakeshore that you have the best sightings.
Activities
The emphasis at Greystoke is on escapism and the natural environment, with the main activity being chimpanzee tracking in the forested mountains behind the camp. Most guests will see the chimps at least once during their day stay, but a sighting is not always guaranteed. One chimp trek is offered per full day in camp with a maximum of six guests per group and these usually take place in the morning. The range of the chimps is vast and whilst they could be right behind camp one day, the next they could be high in the mountains. The time spent with the chimps is one hour but the trekking time is very variable and can be strenuous, particularly when it’s necessary to go ‘off piste’ through the forest, on steep terrain. Please speak to us regarding requirements for trekking and more detailed viewing guidelines which are in place to protect the chimpanzees.
Beyond the chimpanzee tracking, it is also possible to take more general forest walks to see other primates, birds and a lovely waterfall where you can swim. You may also enjoy activities on the lake such as dhow cruises and kayaking.
Seasons
Greystoke is open from June through to mid-March but the weather and conditions are usually best between June and October. During the early dry season of June to August the chimps can sometimes be located higher up the slopes, whilst from September onwards they are often seen closer to camp, but this is always unpredictable.
Greystoke accepts children from 8 years old but is not a destination for young kids and the camp has no specific facilities for families with younger children. You also need to be 12 years or older to join chimpanzee tracking or general forest walks. However, for more adventurous families with teenage children who are strong walkers and fine in their own accommodation, Greystoke can offer an incredible and unique family adventure.
Nomad Tanzania, owners of Greystoke Mahale, have made it their mission to “harness the power of Nomad to create life-enhancing opportunities”. They do this by focussing on three core areas:
Lifelong learning & growth – through supporting local talent and providing funding for business support and apprenticeship, using their business to create career opportunities and supporting local schools and wildlife education, Nomad recognises the importance of education and opportunity. Their meal-a-day programme feeds over 700 children across seven schools, while their student safari programme runs across many of their camps, allowing the next generation to foster an appreciation wildlife and wilderness.
Health & well-being – Nomad opens their camps for periods for medical outreach to allow doctors, dentists and other professionals to have access to a base, cars and planes to treat communities in the remote areas they operate.
Conservation & environment – in addition to keeping their own footprint as light as possible, Nomad Tanzania supports local projects and environmental partners in the areas they operate. This includes donating to de-snaring efforts and supplying bednights, vehicles and logistics where possible.
In Mahale, communities here are cut off from the rest of Tanzania and rely on fishing and agriculture – opportunities for education and earning an income are very limited. Nomad has supported the neighbouring Katumbi Village school and clinic for many years. During a stay at Greystoke it is possible to visit the village to experience some of the local culture and ways of life while learning about some of the fantastic projects supported.