Mahale Mountains National Park

Deep in the forest, with its trailing vines and tangled creepers, a high, shrieking hoot is heard, followed by a wild screaming and a deafening crash of branches. Suddenly a chimpanzee appears on the rock-strewn path, teeth bared defensively and massive shoulders hunched. His name is Fenana, and he’s the alpha male of the group that inhabit the green-carpeted mountains that give this park its name. Visitors to Mahale can squat unnoticed on pathways as man’s closest cousins nurse and play with their offspring, squabble among themselves over the choicest fruits and berries, or build nests of leaves and twigs in the treetops for a tranquil afternoon nap. And after the sweaty exertions of trekking in the jungle, the clear, fresh waters of the lake beckon, fringed with beaches pristine enough to rival any on earth.