Katavi National Park
Katavi National Park, located in southwestern Tanzania’s Katavi Region, is the third-largest national park in the country. It encompasses the Katuma River, Lake Chada floodplains, and seasonal Lake Katavi. The park features three permanent camps, each accommodating 12 visitors.
Where does Katavi National Park fit into your Tanzanian adventure?
Katavi National Park lies on the western safari circuit, alongside Lake Tanganyika, the Mahale Mountains, and Gombe Stream National Park. The western safari circuit is rarely visited due to the high cost of travelling to this secluded location.
However, the circuit is renowned for offering excellent wildlife viewing opportunities in its untarnished wilderness. The western safari circuit is primarily accessed from Arusha and Dar es Salaam via plane or boat.
You cannot reach Katavi National Park by road as the western circuit is too far from major cities and inaccessible due to its forest terrain.
Activities at Katavi National Park
Tourist Activities at Katavi National Park : Katavi National Park is for tourist seeking seclusion among breathtaking scenery, far from the distant hum of safari vehicles, and is largely unspoiled by civilization. Due to the small number of tourists who come here each year, you are more likely to see a pride of lions than another group when on a game drive in Tanzania. Southwest Tanzania’s Katavi Region is where katavi national park can be found, which was established in 1974. It is situated north of the Western Rift Valley’s “Rukwa Rift,” an outgrowth of it. Katavi is Tanzania’s third-largest national park, with an area of about 4,471 km2. The floodplains of Lake Chada, the Katuma River, and the ephemeral Lake Katavi are all located inside the park.
There are just three permanent camps in Katavi National Park: Foxes on the Katuma Plain, Chada on the Chada Plain, and Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge. Twelve guests are allowed to stay in each camp, which heightens the exclusivity. Wildebeest, giraffes, elephants, zebras, African buffaloes, lions, leopards, and cheetahs are just a few of the animals that may be seen at Katavi National Park.
On the banks of the Katuma River, crocodiles and hippos are commonly seen. Hippos relax in mud holes and cover themselves with mud sunscreen during the dry season to protect their delicate skin. Wild dogs, a severely endangered species, are also protected in Katavi.
Tourist activities in katavi national park
Birdwatching
With almost 400 different bird species living there, Katavi national park is a fantastic place to go in Africa for Birdwatching safaris.
Visiting historical sites.
The history of Katavi National Park is fascinating. The Kabora-Lyonga-slave route, which traveled through this region during the slave trade, can be visited. In keeping with local custom, visitors can also see the well-known tamarind tree that gives the park its name. According to Katavi traditions, the tree is the residence of the illustrious hunter Katavi whom, and residents feed the tree’s roots to provide good fortune when hunting.
A game drive
Excellent game drives are a result of expertise, knowledge, and a good vehicle. Open-wheel drive vehicles are used for all game drives in the park. All passengers in these cars will have the best visibility possible thanks to their design. An educated, seasoned English-speaking guide will lead the wildlife drives and make sure you get the most out of each Tanzania safari you take.
Special Events
The journey to Paradise entails a full-day game drive, which is broken up by a picnic lunch on the edge of the breathtaking and endless plains of paradise.
Picnics
In Katavi national park safari, we adore the peculiarity of coming around a river bend to discover a properly set breakfast table with warm cups of coffee in front of a hippopotamus pool. Sharing a picnic meal while watching elephants cross the grasslands is as exciting as eating.
Walking safaris
Walking or trekking in Katavi National Park is an exhilarating activity that allows visitors to see practically every area of the park. This activity begins at the park’s administrative center and proceeds along the road leading to Katavi Seasonal Lake. A short walking or hiking experience is done on the Sitalike walking track, which is 1–9 kilometers long and takes about 3 hours to complete. Long walking/hiking experiences are given as well, although they are done on separate trails. The Chorangwa hiking trail is a long walk/hike that is 17 kilometers long and takes more than 5 hours to complete.
Camping safaris
Camping in Katavi National Park is an exciting pastime that gives tourists a taste of the true African bush. The park has a number of campsites where guests can enjoy camping. These campsites are divided into three categories: flying camping, special camping, and public camping. A public campsite includes amenities like restrooms, kitchens, dining areas, and water. Fly camping is a very well-known example of special camping with top-notch privacy and it is more adventurous.
How to access or reach Katavi National Park
The most practical mode of travelling to Katavi is a 4-5 hour chartered flight from Arusha or Dar es Salaam. You can enter Katavi through either the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar or the Kilimanjaro International Airport, depending on your schedule (46 km from Arusha).
Tourist Activities at Katavi National Park
Dar es Salaam and Katavi are distant from one another by a 22-hour journey and a 2-3-day drive, respectively, while traveling by automobile. We encourage you to fly rather than take a long car trip. The only scheduled flight is a twice-weekly Safari Air Link route connecting Ruaha, Katavi, and Mahale.
Best time to visit katavi national park
During the annual dry season, which lasts from June through December, is the best time to visit Katavi National Park. Given that it is one of the few sources of water in the region during the dry season, the Katuma River presents some of the best chances for animal viewing in the region. Hundreds of hippos and crocodiles crowd around the few available waterholes as thousands of topis, impalas, and zebras roam the plains. Despite the increase in visitors during the busy season, you will practically have the park to yourself.
Accommodation at Katavi National Park
Chada Camp
Operated by Nomad Tanzania, Chada Camp is located 50 km east of Lake Tanganyika. Chada Camp offers six safari tents which are surrounded by trees and offer sweeping views of the surrounding plains. The tents are dispersed to maximise your privacy, and the camping experience is suitable for children 12+.
Each tent has a comfortable bed, a writing desk, and gauze windows which allow natural light to shine through. The accommodation is decorated with homely natural fabrics and palm matting. Each tent has an en-suite bathroom with a flush toilet.
Outside your tent, you will find a bucket shower. You can cool off after a day of activities whilst enjoying the scenic views, and you may even see a herd of elephants. There is a large communal tent where guests can relax, read, or watch the elephants, giraffes, and buffaloes wander past. Breakfast and lunch are served in the dining tent.
Guests can choose between dining indoors and al fresco dining under the stars. Before dinner, guests gather at the campfire for snacks and drinks. Chada Camp offers safari activities, including 4WD game drives, picnics surrounded by the animals,, and guided walking safaris.
Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge
Mbali Mbali Camp offers 8 comfortable tents, and it was completely refurbished in 2018, giving it a minimalist and contemporary design. The communal areas are two tiered, open-sided structures which are built from wood and thatch.
Each canvas tent is built on a raised wooden platform and covered by a thatched roof. Each room has a sofa, a veranda, and a traditional Zanzibari bed. The site offers one family room which has a conjoined double and twin tent on a shared platform.
The en-suite bathrooms are modern, and they have double sinks, flushing toilets, and glass showers. The camp offers a delicious menu of local dishes and western favourites. You can have a bush breakfast on safari and dine with sweeping views of the park or enjoy a buffet breakfast on the campsite.
A three-course meal is served for dinner and there are bi-weekly outdoor BBQ buffets.
The lodge offers a range of activities, including 4WD safaris and birdwatching.
