Africa has many beautiful places in it to visit that many people know about. Yet there are a few places in Africa that are extremely beautiful and offer brilliant wildlife encounters. Recently Shem Compion led a group of photographers into the Mahale Mountains to find wild chimpanzees in the forests and discovered a magical beach called Greystoke.
Situated on the shores of lake Tanganyika, Greystoke beach makes you feel as if you have found a lost treasure island. Clean white sand, deep blue water in the worlds second deepest freshwater lake and palm trees above instantly turn the hardest safari goers into a beach lover. The fact that there are chimps in the forests above you makes for a Jurassic park feel- their pant hoots booming through the foliage in the course of a day. It all adds to a tremendous sense of excitement when you have settled in and waiting to go trekking.
Once you are amongst the chimps the magic becomes a reality. These animals, totally habituated to humans move through the jungle forest with a grace and speed akin to a fish in water. Their expressions endear and their antics fill you with laughter. They are exceptionally charismatic and photogenic. The experience is 100% a natural history experience as well as being a 100% photographically rich one. There are very few places like that in the world.
Mahale has become my new favourite location in Africa. A 4-hour plane flight and 90 minutes boat cruise are now a joy to head towards to as I know that I am heading very far away from the rest of the tourist circuit and very close to the heart of Africa!
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