Hi David – I don’t have contact info for the Mahale office in Kigoma. This is off the internet, +255785291416, but often those numbers are wrong/out of date. We just went in person.

Yes, it was a great trip! I’m glad you enjoyed the blog/videos. To your questions:
– No, we did not meet the rangers where the boat to Mahale would start, we only discussed this with the rangers in Kigoma. The boat station is another ~30km from the junction and we didn’t want to drive it twice, we were worried about time. In Kigoma they said there is a safe place to leave the car, but we did not confirm that. I think that is the big question for a lot of people, so if you go PLEASE let me know and I will pass along that information.
– From the main roundabout in Kigoma to the Mahale junction was 6h 25m, which included some time messing around, an hour wait for the ferry and a lunch stop. So moving time…5hrs maybe?
– From the Mahale junction to the T9 was 6h 30m, which includes a little over an hour getting stuck and a couple other short stops.

Please let me know if you drive this route.

I was! It felt really good getting ourselves out (with help, but not another vehicle)

Yes, the wild camping isn’t usually our deal, particularly in populous countries. But lots of people do it all the time, so once in a while in the right place seems okay to us.

As for out of the way places, they so often are so interesting! The longer we travel here the safer we feel, and thus are more comfortable taking perceived risks. In this case we were confident that we, as in our persons, were totally safe, the only risk being to the vehicle. Even then, Africans are so good at ‘making a plan’ that it gives us confidence that one way or another it’ll work out. And of course on a long trip we have the time to accomodate unplanned delays, not the same if you’re on a two week holiday.

We are headed home early September, back to work October 1. It’s coming fast!

Thanks! We had a great time, some of the most fun we’ve had in Tanzania was these few days.