​Overview – Katavi NP

Philip Briggs
Expert
By Philip Briggs

Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of many Bradt guidebooks to African destinations, including the guide to Tanzania.

Philip is a renowned Africa expert and author of the Bradt guidebook to Tanzania.

Philip is the author of the Bradt guidebook to Tanzania.

Katavi is pure wilderness. This classic Dry-season park is completely off the beaten track, but teeming with wildlife. Four of the Big Five are present. Lion, buffalo and elephant are all very common but leopard sightings are more hit-and-miss. Rhino is absent.

 
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Best Time to Go August to October
High Season July to October (Katavi is rarely crowded)
Size 4,471km² / 1,726mi²
Altitude 825-1,618m / 2,707-5,308ft
+23 Photos

Pros & Cons

  • Good general wildlife viewing in the Dry season
  • Hippo pods converge in spectacular numbers in the Dry season
  • Unusual antelope species, like sable and roan
  • Very exclusive and doesn't get crowded
  • Difficult to get to and accommodation options are limited
  • Animals are scattered during the Wet season
  • Most lodges are closed from March to May

Katavi NP Safari Reviews

  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding

Wildlife

There might not be the widest variety of wildlife on the average drive, but sightings tend to be spectacular, and you'll mostly have them to yourself. While lion are very common, the more remarkable sightings are buffalo herds that number in the thousands and the hippo, which are pushed into small pools as the river dries up. Pods of them share too small a place, and fights are a common sight.

Scenery

The habitat is mainly grassland savannah and brachystegia (miombo) woodland on the east of the park. After the rains, the place transforms to lush marshes and shallow lakes, leaving behind dusty floodplains of the Dry season.

Weather & Climate

Katavi is a hot place in the Dry season (May to October), except for the evenings when the temperature sinks along with the sun. Not by much, though – nights average a warm 17°C/63°F. The Wet season (November to April) is when things get really uncomfortable, with high levels of heat, plus humidity thanks to the brewing rain.

Best Time to Visit

It's best to visit Katavi in the Dry season (May to October). Unlike during the wetter months, you won't get cooked by the temperature, savaged by mosquitoes, or have to negotiate boggy tracks. Most importantly, the drier months are when animals congregate on the floodplains to get a drink, and the thin vegetation won't shield them from your view.

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Katavi NP Safari Reviews

  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
  • Wildlife
  • Scenery
  • Bush Vibe
  • Birding
Most Helpful Expert Review
Expert
Ariadne van Zandbergen  –  
South Africa ZA

Ariadne is a renowned African wildlife photographer whose work is featured in many well-known guidebooks and magazines.

Katavi National Park: Hippo Overload
5/5

Katavi National Park has often been called one of Africa’s best-kept secrets. But like all secrets, they get out eventually. Several new lodges have opened here over the years and, although it’s still off the beaten track, you won’t...

Full Review

All 8 Expert Reviews
Latest User Review
Lise Pedersen  –  
Denmark DK
Reviewed: Feb 13, 2019
4/5

Long driving distances from game drive areas to camp! Flamingos and lions were very special here, but also a lot of fine birds.

Full Review

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