Western Circuit · Remote Wilderness
Big Herds, Almost No People
Katavi is Tanzania’s third-largest national park and receives a few hundred visitors a year. At the end of the dry season the Katuma River shrinks to a series of muddy pools, and what happens next is as raw as African wildlife viewing gets — hundreds of hippo crammed together, crocodiles dug into the drying banks and buffalo herds a thousand strong on the Katisunga floodplain.
There is no infrastructure to speak of and only a handful of small camps. You will very likely have every sighting entirely to yourself.
- Buffalo herds over a thousand strong
- Extraordinary dry-season hippo and crocodile congregations
- One of the least-visited major parks in Africa
- Walking safaris and genuine wilderness fly-camping
Good to Know
Katavi at a Glance
Wildlife You May Spot
Best Time to Visit
June to October — the later the better, as the floodplains dry and animals concentrate.
Size
Roughly 4,471 km², Tanzania’s third-largest park.
Hippo
Dry-season pools hold some of the densest hippo concentrations recorded anywhere.
Getting There
Scheduled or charter flight from Arusha or Dar; often combined with Mahale.
- Buffalo
- Hippo
- Crocodile
- Lion
- Elephant
- Zebra
- Topi
- Roan Antelope
- Sable Antelope
- Giraffe
Things to Do
Walking, Driving and Fly-Camping
Game drives follow the Katuma River and the floodplain edges, but Katavi really rewards those who get out on foot with an armed guide.
- Game drives on the Katisunga and Chada floodplains
- Walking safaris with an armed ranger
- Fly-camping under canvas in the bush
- Combining with Mahale for chimps and lake time
Orientation
Where Katavi Sits
Katavi lies in the far west of Tanzania, south-east of Mahale and a long way from anywhere else. Access is by light aircraft via Mpanda — there is no practical road route for visitors, which is a large part of why the park sees so few of them.
Go Where Almost Nobody Goes
Katavi and Mahale together make the finest remote safari in Tanzania. Ask us to plan it.