Step back in time and explore one of the most remote and exclusive parks in Tanzania: Katavi National park. This area in West Tanzania has changed little since the days of the early explorers. It is as wild as it gets in Africa with just a few visitors and camps. Experience an authentic safari with only the sounds of the African bush surrounding you. This is one of the few places where you see more crocodiles or hippos than people. It’s just you and nature.
Pure wilderness
Katavi’s remoteness makes it pretty costly and far less visited than other national parks in Tanzania. Not more than a few hundred people go on safari to Katavi every year. However, if you want to experience pure wilderness and have time and money to get there, you won’t be disappointed. Katavi is a beautiful hidden treasure.
Katuma River
One of the top spots for game viewing is the Katuma River and floodplains. During the dry season this river forms the only source of water for miles around. The river banks are a mecca for lots of crocodiles and hundreds of hippos, playing in the water or grazing on the shores. Large herds of elephants, buffaloes, giraffes and zebras gather around Lake Katavi and Lake Chada to drink. Enjoy plains filled with lions, giraffes, elephants, buffaloes, hyenas and sights of unusual antelope and rare wild dogs. Four of the Big Five are present in this park – except the rhino. The bird watching is also excellent, with over 400 recorded species.
Katavi’s scenery
Katavi offers and splendid scenery to adventurous visitors. It’s habitat is mainly grassland and miombo woodland. After the rains, the plains look like a mini-Okavango Delta. The place transforms to lush green swamps dotted with acacia, waterfalls and shallow lakes. Katavi has two seasonal lakes, Lake Katavi and Lake Chada. These lakes are cracked open plains during the dry season and fill up only in the rainy season.
Adventurous safari
Katavi National Park is a place of excitement and adventure where you can immerse yourself in the sight, smells and sounds of the African bush. Because of its remoteness, more activities are permitted in Katavi than in other parks in Tanzania, like off-road game drives, night drives, walking safaris and fly-camping. Enjoy the different ways to explore this national park. The raw beauty of Katavi will captivate you.
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