Snorkeling at Mahale

By Vianney J. Kabwine– Guide, Greystoke Mahale

Among the chain of lakes on the bottom of the Western Great Rift Valley, Lake Tanganyika is outstanding for its extraordinary north-south extension (670 km) and depth (1,470 m). It is the largest African lake by volume, the second deepest in the world (next to L. Baikal) and the longest lake of the world.

The lake holds at least 250 species of Cichlid fish and 150 non-cichlid species, most of which lives along the shoreline. As the water is Crystal clear that enables you to see the bottom up to 20 feet deep.

The crystal clear water enables you to enjoy the beauty of the bottom where most of the cichlids lay their eggs. While snorkeling around the rock area and moored boats you will see many fish, especially the emperor cichlid - Yellow belly cichlid (known locally as kuhe) hunting for other cichlids. The camp provides Snorkels and flippers for you to enjoy the beauty of Lake Tanganyika and its biodiversity. Don’t miss a chance to go snorkeling at Greystoke.

A whistle from the forest 'under-ground'

By Kakae Saiteu-Guide, Greystoke Mahale

Mahale Mountains National Park is a beautiful forested habitat, especially to the western side facing Lake Tanganyika. It’s different habitats range from evergreen forest, miombo woodland, thicket bush-land, swampy ground and montane forest.

All Tourism operations are being run on this western side, with a stunning forested habitat where a lot of primates’ species live. Right where the tourism recreation is being conducted the forest is divided into two or three kind of habitats; semi-deciduous forest, evergreen gallery forest, deciduous forest and some parts of thicket bush-land. These types of habitat offer varied niches that support different forms of life.

When out there hiking or trekking—being a forested habitat, one can hear sounds of creatures more than physically seeing them. One has to have an understanding of varies calls to be able to tells species apart. Otherwise you would just enjoy lovely calls, but not know what you are listening to.

Only lately when I was walking in the forest, I heard a whistle which I thought right away was a person whistling. I got curious to know how the guy was. It was strange as the call was coming some few feet from the ground in a thicket bush habitat. I thought no way could it be person. For a while I was wondering what could it be then, and if it was a person, it will be interesting to know how he got into that thicket bush. After several minutes of patient waiting and stalking, I found a Red-capped robin chat was making the whistle. It was amusing that of the many calls that this bird makes; it can even whistle like a human being. Red-capped robin chats prove to be smart chaps. Of the forty calls that it has already been found to produce, many are mimicry calls; whistling is one of them.