Greystoke Mahale
Greystoke Mahale sits on a pristine, white sandy beach overlooking the turquoise water of Lake Tanganyika, with the forested slopes of the 8000ft Mahale Mountains rising behind.
Greystoke Mahale places a great deal of importance on not dominating its sensational natural surroundings. Just six wood and thatch bandas are tucked back into the forest line, so that your only view is of beach, and the lake beyond and created almost entirely from sustainable materials sourced on Lake Tanganyika itself.
Built entirely from reclaimed wood from wrecked or retired dhows bought (after much haggling) from villages along the lakeshore. Old fisherman’s canoes have been turned into ladders and thatch from palm trees gathered outside the national park for the roofs.
Each banda at Greystoke Mahale has an en-suite bathroom – accessible by a short boardwalk – with hot and cold running water, strong showers and flush toilets as well as a dressing room and upstairs chill-out deck.
The main mess is the only structure on the beach and the focal point of camp with views over the lake to the mountains of the Congo in the haze beyond. Your days start here, enjoying breakfast waiting to hear news of the chimps and deciding what to do with your day. Trekking in the Mahale mountains, home to many animals including a myriad of primates, bushbuck, bush pig,leopard, and amazing birdlife is a wonder. A highlight is trekking in search of the resident chimpanzees, guided by specialists who have spent years studying and getting to know each individual. The lake and beach allows time to relax and swim or kayak through the clear waters.
Evenings start with sundowners on the rocks of the headland where drinks are served around the lamp-lit bar or on the dhow, sailing smoothly over the lake as the sun slips away. Starlit dinners are served on the beach or in the mess area, with guests exchanging stories of the day just past.
Greystoke Mahale affects guests in a way that no other place does; its remoteness, mountains rising from the beach, the wide lake with its many different moods and the feeling that you are the only ones there.
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