Sport fishing gains ground as Mahale Park broadens its tourism appeal

Kigoma. A growing form of tourism is taking shape along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, where sport fishing is steadily attracting visitors to one of the country’s most remote wildlife areas.

Mahale Mountains National Park, established in 1985 and managed by the Tanzania National Parks Authority (Tanapa), has long been celebrated for its population of wild chimpanzees and its striking combination of forested peaks, deep valleys and lakeshore habitats.

Its isolation, accessible only by boat or small aircraft, has traditionally limited visitor numbers, yet this remoteness has preserved its ecological integrity and lent the park a reputation as one of Tanzania’s least disturbed wilderness areas.

Against this backdrop, sport fishing has begun to gather momentum.

Conducted along the quiet shoreline of the world’s second-deepest lake, the activity is offering a new dimension to the Mahale experience and positioning the park within a broader shift toward diversified nature-based tourism.

Industry observers note that, as Tanzania’s traditional wildlife circuits continue to mature, lake and river destinations are increasingly being explored for new products that can lengthen visitor stays and widen regional economic benefits.

At Mahale, tourists interviewed said the lake’s calm environment and dramatic setting were central to its growing appeal.

Lake Tanganyika’s vast waters lie beneath the jagged slopes of the Mahale range, while the area’s moderate temperatures and soft, persistent breezes contribute to a sense of calm rarely found in busier tourism hubs.

Visitors described the conditions as highly favourable for those seeking quiet spaces, noting that the interplay of lake winds and forest air produces a comfortable climate throughout the day.

Several anglers said their search for authentic, enduring travel experiences in a natural setting, far from the pressures of crowded parks, had drawn them to the western reaches of the country.

Sport fishing has now become one of the most sought-after activities for visitors, complementing long-established attractions such as chimpanzee trekking.

The park’s evenings, marked by the sun descending into the western horizon over Lake Tanganyika, remain a central highlight, reinforcing Mahale’s standing as a location where wildlife, landscape and solitude converge in rare harmony.