Greystoke Mahale

Tucked away on a far-flung beach along the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika, Greystoke Mahale is one of the few places left on earth which might rightfully be called Eden. Nestled beneath the forested slopes of the soaring 8000 ft Mahale Mountains – home to the world’s largest known population of chimpanzees – this remote and magical sanctuary comprises six wildly exotic wooden bandas (open-fronted cottages), each of which looks out across the soft white sand of western Tanzania’s Kangwena Beach towards the glistening gin clear waters of the lake. The interiors are fashioned from dhow timbers – and the adjoining bathrooms are accessible via a short boardwalk. Upstairs, the ‘chill-out’ decks have been designed for the most demanding of castaways.

There are no roads for miles around – the camp only accessible by light aircraft to the nearest airstrip followed by a 90 minute dhow trip. Boat and foot are your only modes of transport. You can kayak along the lakeshore, snorkel or fish – but perhaps most significantly, each day you can venture out into the forest to sit and quietly observe chimpanzee daily life.

the evenings, relax over a private barefoot dinner on the beach or enjoy lake-fresh sashimi and ice-cold cocktails on the lantern-lit dhow. Hidden in the rocks on the northern headland, Greystoke Mahale’s ‘bar of all bars’ is the perfect hideaway for a spot of star-gazing or a pre-dinner drink. The conviviality of the communal thatched mess is well-documented – and the upstairs area, strewn with relaxing cushions and an eclectic selection of books, now has four decks with breathtaking views out over this alluring, seductive and mystical corner of East Africa.

PRICES Prices from £239 per person per night twin share including all meals, drinks (except Champagne), boating, kayaking, snorkelling, fishing and the dhow transfers from the airstrip. The air charter access is additional. Closed 21 March – 31 May. Flights from the UK from £510 (including £120 tax) with Kenya Airways