Greystoke Mahale

Set on the shores of remote Lake Tanganyika, the six thatched, open-fronted bandas at Greystoke Mahale are made of reclaimed dhow wood, and as such give a real castaway feel to this unique lodge.

The deserted location helps too – there are a couple of villages in the vicinity, but you wouldn’t know – on arrival by boat across the crystal-clear lake waters, all you see is the camp, and the steeply forested peaks behind it.

This forest is home to chimpanzees, semi-habituated to humans through years of study. As such, this is one of the very best places on earth to make the acquaintance of our closest relatives (children must be aged 12 or over to take part). The chimpanzee experts here are some of the most experienced primatology guides on the continent.

There is no road access at all to Mahale Mountains, and while it is home to chimpanzees, it also hosts a myriad other primate species, not to mention a host of birdlife and other wildlife, including the dainty bushbuck, bristly bush pigs and even elusive leopards.

Prepare to be surrounded by clouds of butterflies, hear all manner of birdsong, closely inspect tiny vibrant insects, and smell the loamy earth heating up in the bright patches of sunlight that make it through the dense forest canopy. This is an entrancing place, for those of any age.