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Pollen evidence from two cores recovered from the Mpulungu basin, South lake Tanganyika, reveals a significant pattern of changes in vegetation in relation to climatic fluctuations between 25,000 and 9000 yr B.P. Prior to 15,000 yr B.P., open and poorly diversified Zambezian woodlands at low and mid-altitudes, with local included patches of montane components such as Podocarpus and numerous Ericaceae are registered. This indicates cooler and drier climatic conditions than now, with a probably incidence of light frost during the night at low altitude. The coldest episode could be placed between 22,000 and 15,000 yr B.P. The period between 15,000 and 12,000 yr B.P. appears to be transitional. A significant retreat of ericaceous shrublands suggests an increase in temperature. The permanence of local floristically poor woodlands and the presence of drought-tolerant montane elements on the plateaus suggest that climate was still drier than today. The development of wetter Zambezian woodlands with a composition similar to the modern vegetation and the occurrence of some arboreal taxa which have more affinities with the West and Central African flora than with the Zambezian one, imply a great increase in rainfall after 12,000 yr B.P.