Katonga Wildlife Reserve

Not the Right Place for Everybody

I like this reserve, I really do, but first-time safariers should give it a pass, and even returners will want to consider whether it’s the right destination for them. There just isn’t much wildlife here, although since it’s seldom visited you might have the whole place to yourself like I did. The sitatunga, an elusive swamp-dwelling antelope that’s rarely seen in other parks, is relatively easy to find here. Canoe rides through the papyrus swamp to look for hippo, sitatunga and otter are no longer available, but you might see black-and-white colobus monkey and various antelope on a guided bushwalk. There is no accommodation other than a basic campsite, so if you want to get an early start (which is best for sitatunga sightings), be prepared to rough it a little.