Katavi National Park
Overview
Tanzania Parks
Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many guidebooks to African destinations, including the Bradt guide to Tanzania.
Katavi National Park is pure wilderness. Few parks anywhere in Africa offer such a tantalizing combination of breathtaking wildlife viewing, a remote setting and low visitor numbers. Four of the Big Five are present, with lion, buffalo and elephant all being very common. Leopard sightings are more hit-and-miss. The waterways of Katavi host impressive concentrations of hippo, crocodile and aquatic birds.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
There might not be the widest variety of wildlife on the average game drive, but sightings tend to be spectacular, and you’ll mostly have them to yourself. Lion and elephant are common, and you can also expect to see thousand-strong herds of buffalo. Even more remarkable are the park’s hippos, which are forced to gather together in their hundreds in small pools as the rivers dry up, leading to regular fights between the highly territorial males.
Scenery
The habitat is mainly grassland savannah and miombo woodland in the east of the park. After the rains, the dusty floodplains typical of the Dry season are transformed into lush marshes and shallow lakes.
Activities
The main activity in the park is game drives. These generally focus on the floodplains and watercourses, which tend to support the most wildlife and be free of the tsetse flies that haunt more densely wooded areas. Night drives and walking safaris are also available.
Weather & Climate
Katavi is a hot place. The average daytime temperature is 31°C/88°F, but peak temperatures are much higher. Evenings are generally mild with temperatures around 18°C/64°F. It is mostly dry from May to October (the Dry season), but afternoon showers can be expected in the Wet season (November to April) when the humidity tends to be really high.
Best Time To Visit
It’s best to visit Katavi from July to October, which is during the middle and end of the Dry season. At this time, animals gather on the floodplains to get a drink and the thin vegetation won’t shield them from your view. During the Wet season and at the beginning of the Dry season, from November to May, many game-drive tracks are impassable. Most camps close for part or all of the months of November to May.
Want To Visit Katavi NP?
Safari Tours to Katavi NP
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![9-Day Luxury Western Tanzania Chimp Trekking and Safari]()
9-Day Luxury Western Tanzania Chimp Trekking and Safari
$12,446 to $15,205 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourLuxuryLodge & Tented Camp
You Visit: Arusha (Start), Katavi NP, Mahale Mountains NP, Arusha (End)
Wayfairer Travel
4.8/5 – 174 Reviews
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![10-Day Chimpanzees at Gombe- Mahale Mountain Katavi Park]()
10-Day Chimpanzees at Gombe- Mahale Mountain Katavi Park
$4,395 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetGuest House & Hotel
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Gombe NP, Mahale Mountains NP, Katavi NP, Mbeya (City), Dar es Salaam Airport (End)
Go Giraffe Safaris
5.0/5 – 23 Reviews
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![14-Day Southern Tanzania Special Safari]()
14-Day Southern Tanzania Special Safari
$4,126 pp (USD)
Tanzania: Private tourBudgetLodge & Hotel
You Visit: Dar es Salaam (Start), Mikumi NP, Ruaha NP, Mbeya (City), Katavi NP, Dar Es Salaam (End)
Sunday Safaris
5.0/5 – 4 Reviews
