In Tanzania’s Mahale Mountains National Park, spectacular peaks rise from crystal clear Lake Tanganyika. On the slopes, thick forests provide the perfect home for our closest living relatives—the chimpanzee. Here, you’ll spend your days tracking these fascinating creatures, watching their daily routines and comic antics.  Miles from anywhere, far away from crowds, you’ll also enjoy the undisturbed wilderness of Katavi National Park.  This combination of exclusivity and luxury make it the perfect off-the-beaten-path safari in Tanzania where few other travelers venture.

Day 1 – ARUSHA/KATAVI NATIONAL PARK: From Arusha, fly to the remote Katavi National Park in southwestern Tanzania. You’ll be met at the airstrip and driven to Chada Katavi Camp, an exclusive luxury camp in the park with panoramic views of the Chada plain. Enjoy lunch, then an afternoon game drive or walk in this unspoiled, uncrowded reserve. In the evening, relax around camp and enjoy a gourmet dinner. Overnight here. (L, D, Dr)

In this mega-beast land all animals need a really good place to hole up, and for a decade Man’s retreat has been Chada Katavi, hidden on a shady spit of acacias and tamarinds on the edge of the Chada plain. Hidden in the trees that flank it are just six guest tents with fine wooden furniture, woven rugs and beds spread with crisp white Egyptian cottons. The tents are large, romantic and airy and the bathrooms bush deluxe.  Days on the hoof in Katavi can be wild beyond belief, and Chada Katavi is the perfect place to return to after a day of safari adventure. Steaming hot showers await, and the thoroughly good white wine on your porch table is perfectly chilled.

Days 2-3 – KATAVI NATIONAL PARK: Enjoy two more days exploring pristine Katavi, home to buffalo, elephants, lions, hippos, hyena, leopards, and many other animals. Spanning over one million acres, Katavi National Park is reputed to be one of the wildest places on earth. You can choose from game drives and walks. Overnights Chada Camp. (B, L, D, Dr)

Day 4 – MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK: After breakfast, fly to Mahale National Park. On this scenic trip, you’ll see the lovely plains and mountains of western Tanzania. Then, near the shores of Lake Tanganyika, you’ll land at the airstrip. Enjoy a serene boat transfer (there are no roads here) to Greystoke Mahale Camp, a luxury tented camp on the shores of the lake. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon swimming or boating. Overnight here.  (B, L, D, Dr)

Your home at Greystoke Mahale is in wildly exotic wooden bandas, looking out across the soft sand beach, with interiors fashioned from old seasoned dhow timber and decorated with style and panache. The six open-fronted bandas are set just on the forest line, looking out over the lake, with dressing rooms behind and upstairs chill-out decks; they are designed with flair, generosity and passion for the most demanding of castaways.Life at Mahale is easy in this barefoot paradise. If a morning's 'chimping' sounds a bit too energetic, you can relax on your own chill-out deck, spend lazy hours staring out over the lake, and it's just a short stroll to the mess for coffee or an early evening sundowner at the bar.

Days 5 - 7 – MAHALE MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK: Enjoy three splendid days and nights in Mahale. This pristine park is home to the largest concentration of wild chimps in Tanzania. Although wild, some groups have been habituated, giving visitors the chance to see them up close. You’ll spend your mornings tracking some of the family groups here. At times, the terrain is steep and thick with brush and trees, but your hard work will be rewarded when you see our closest living relatives. Return to camp for lunch, then choose from swimming, boating, relaxing or fishing ($50 fishing license required) in the afternoons. Dinner and overnight at Greystoke Mahale Camp. (B, L, D, Dr)

Day 8 – MAHALE/ARUSHA: Have breakfast, then bid farewell to Greystoke Camp. Transfer by boat, then fly back to Arusha. (B )