Sophy Roberts spends time with the Tongwe Trust in Ntakata, Western Tanzania.
Near Greystoke Mahale, which is Nomads flagship camp on the shores of lake Tanganyika, lies Ntakata Forest, home to un-habituated populations of chimps and land of the Tongwe people, a community who originally came from DRC and moved over Lake Tanganyika during the Bantu expansion. Their homelands are under threat due to an increase in economic development throughout the country. The Tongwe Trust was set up as a dignified means by which the Tongwe people can retain their lands and conserve the chimp population and complex ecology of the forest. Roland Purcell, founder of Mahale, built Chimp’s Nest Camp, which is as off-piste, difficult to get to and basic as one can get, sleeping in hammocks rigged up under the thick canopy of the forest, but makes for an unforgettable adventure.
To book a luxury safari holiday to Greystoke tying in with a trip to Ntakata Forest, please get in touch with us and one of destination specialists would be happy to begin planning your journey.