Official TANAPA rates
Mahale Mountains National Park entry fees
All fees below are VAT-exclusive. TANAPA adds 18% VAT on top: the $80 conservation fee is $94.40 at the gate, and a child pays $23.60.
Updated 2026-07-26
Conservation fee (per person, per 24 hours)
| Non-East African visitor, 16+ | $80 | $94.40 incl. 18% VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Non-East African child, 5–15 | $20 | $23.60 incl. VAT |
| Child under 5 | Free | |
| East African citizen, 16+ | TSh 5,000 | TZ, KE, UG, RW, BI, SS, DRC |
| Expatriate / TZ resident, 16+ | $40 | child 5–15: $10 |
Flat rate year-round; Mahale has no peak/low season split. The fee is deliberately higher than most Tanzanian parks (Katavi is $30, Kilimanjaro $70) precisely because it covers the chimpanzees. Permits allow multiple entries within their validity: a day permit covers 12 daylight hours, a sleep-over permit 24 hours.
Updated 2026-07-26
Chimpanzee trekking: what you actually pay
| Chimpanzee trekking permit | $0 | no such permit exists; see below |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation fee (this is the trekking cost) | $80 | per person per day, + 18% VAT |
| Guide/ranger fee | $20 | per group, per day; mandatory |
| Chimpanzee Habituation Experience (CHEX), 16+ | $100 | optional extra; child 5–15: $50 |
The correction that matters most: there is no separate chimpanzee trekking permit at Mahale. We read all 14 pages of the gazetted TANAPA tariff and no chimp permit line exists. The $80 daily conservation fee IS the trekking cost, plus the $20 per group guide fee. Any site quoting a Mahale chimp permit of $150, $200 or $250 is quoting Uganda or Rwanda figures, a lodge's bundled charge, or inventing it. The only chimp-specific line item is the optional CHEX, a longer researcher-style day at $100 extra, not offered by every camp.
Updated 2026-07-26
Camping & TANAPA accommodation (per person, per night)
| Mahale Mountains Cottages (Kasiha bandas) | $40 | self-catering; EA citizens TSh 20,000. Book ahead |
|---|---|---|
| Public campsite, 16+ | $30 | child 5–15: $5 |
| Special campsite, 16+ | $50 | prior booking required |
| Fly campsite, 16+ | $50 | prior booking required |
| Hotel concession fee (private lodge inside park), 16+ | $30 | added to lodge rates |
The Kasiha bandas are by an enormous margin the cheapest roofed bed inside Mahale. You still pay the $80 conservation fee and $20 group guide fee on top, so a budget chimp trek is still a real cost. Book via the TANAPA reservation system.
Updated 2026-07-26
Activity fees (per person)
| Walking/hiking, 1–4 hours | $20 | over 4 hours: $25. Ranger-led |
|---|---|---|
| Boating safari | $20 | Mahale is named explicitly in the tariff |
| Canoeing / kayaking | $10 | maximum 3 hours |
| Snorkelling, 3 hours | $10 | tariff says bring your own equipment |
| Sport fishing, 16+ | $25 | per day, 07:00–17:00 only; child 5–15: $10; rod hire $20/day |
| Night nature walk | $10 | |
| Bush meal / sundowner | $5 | each, per person |
There is no vehicle fee at Mahale for the simplest of reasons: the park has no roads. Boat entry for small vessels is priced in Tanzanian shillings (TSh 10,000 private, TSh 15,000 commercial per day for boats up to 10 seats).