What is Burigi-Chato National Park?
Burigi-Chato is Tanzania's fourth-largest national park, created in 2019 by merging several existing game reserves — Burigi, Biharamulo, Kimisi, and Ibanda — into a single protected area. The park's name combines two of its key water bodies: Lake Burigi (in the south) and Chato town (the main gateway).
The park occupies a significant ecological position in northwest Tanzania, forming part of the Albertine Rift ecosystem that runs from Uganda and Rwanda south through Tanzania to the DR Congo border. This corridor allows wildlife to move between Tanzania's northwest parks and the Ugandan protected areas to the north.
The landscape varies dramatically: the south contains papyrus-edged Lake Burigi and its seasonal swamps; the centre and north are dominated by miombo woodland and savanna broken by rocky hills; the east borders the Lake Victoria shoreline.
Why visit Burigi-Chato? The shoebill stork
The shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) is one of Africa's most remarkable birds — a massive, grey, prehistoric-looking stork with a 30 cm wide boat-shaped bill that it uses to catch lungfish, young crocodiles, and large amphibians in papyrus swamps. It stands 1.2 metres tall, has a 2.3-metre wingspan, and has been described as looking like a living dinosaur.
Shoebills are rare, restricted to specific papyrus swamps in central Africa, and notoriously difficult to find. The papyrus wetlands of Lake Burigi are one of the most reliable shoebill locations in East Africa. A local guide with a small boat can often locate birds within a 2–4 hour trip.
Beyond the shoebill, the lake and papyrus system support sitatunga antelope (the only antelope that lives in swamps), African fish eagle, grey crowned crane, and numerous papyrus-endemic species.
How to get to Burigi-Chato National Park
From Mwanza (main approach):
- Fly or ferry to Mwanza from Dar or Arusha
- From Mwanza, drive or take a bus to Chato town (~2.5–3 hours on mostly tarmac)
- Chato is the park's eastern gateway and has the best tourism infrastructure
- Mwanza has daily flights from Dar es Salaam (1 hour)
From Bukoba (western approach):
- Fly to Bukoba from Dar or Mwanza, then drive ~80 km to the western park boundary (1.5 hours)
- Bukoba has regular flights from Dar es Salaam
Self-drive notes: A 4WD is essential inside the park — roads are unpaved and become very difficult in wet season. Between Chato and the park entrance, the road is tarmac. Inside the park, expect corrugated dirt tracks that can be deeply rutted from June onwards.
Best time to visit Burigi-Chato
June–October (dry season): Best for game drives and shoebill boat trips. Wildlife concentrates around remaining water sources. Roads are navigable. The shoebill is active and visible year-round but dry season boat conditions are calmer.
November–January (short rains): Green and beautiful. Shoebill and waterbirds are excellent — breeding season activity in the papyrus swamps. Roads still manageable in November; can degrade by January.
February–March: Dry and hot. Good game viewing as vegetation thins.
April–May (long rains): Roads may become impassable. Not recommended for first visits.
Wildlife beyond the shoebill
Mammals: African elephant, buffalo, giraffe (notably Rothschild's giraffe), sitatunga, impala, waterbuck, reedbuck, hippo, crocodile, and — reportedly but rarely seen — leopard and lion.
Birds (400+ species): The park's combination of papyrus swamp, savanna, and miombo woodland creates exceptional bird diversity. Key species beyond the shoebill include: African fish eagle, papyrus gonolek, white-winged warbler, Carruthers's cisticola, grey crowned crane, saddle-billed stork, and multiple kingfisher species.
The shoebill boat safari: The best way to experience Lake Burigi is by small wooden boat with a local guide. Early mornings (6:00–9:00) are best for shoebill activity. Bring binoculars with at least 8x magnification and a long lens if you have one.