Katavi National Park Tanzania

Katavi National Park serves as a genuine wilderness set in remote western Tanzania, south west of Mpanda Township. It is actually Tanzania’s 3rd leading park, spanning almost 4,471 sq km nonetheless cut off and barely visited. This park area extends to comprise of the rift valley cliffs, Uwanda Rukwa Game reserve, chada flood plain, the brooding expanse of Lake Rukwa, Katuma River, temporary lakes like Katavi and additionally Chada.
The bulk of Katavi is covered in miombo woodland with speckled acacia trees, grassland plains and also swamps surrounding the rivers Katima and also in Chada floodplain. Such an environment is home to significant numbers of the evasive eland, sable and roan antelopes. It is actually in the dry period that the park brims with beauty; floods recede, leaving low muddy pools near Katavi and the floodplain, the sole supply of drinking water within distance. This infact attracts thousands of game including elephants, buffalos, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, zebras, impala, reedbuck as well as preying animals including some lions along with spotted hyenas that show up not only for water but also for a hunt also.
In the rainy season, these verdant, swampy lakes will be a sanctuary for numerous water fowls, around four hundred varieties some include pelicans as well as the open-billed stork.
Getting there
Charter aircraft from Dar and also Arusha.
A tricky but spectacular day’s drive in Mbeya roughly 340 miles, or around the dry season only from Kigoma for 390 km. It is possible to get to Mpanda just by rail from Dar via Tabora, afterward to use scheduled buses to Sitalike, fro where game drives will be taken care of.
Things to do
Trekking, game drives in addition to camping outdoors safaris. Check out the tamarind tree close by Lake Katavi inhabited by the spirit of the famous hunter Katabi from whom the park is named. Offerings continue to be given by local in return for the spirit’s blessing.
Best time to visit
Tracks from the park are regularly slippery while in the rainy season yet may be good by mid-December to February. The dry season runs right from May to October and is the best time for wildlife viewing across the pools.
Accommodation
Two temporary luxury tented camps facing Lake Chada. A resthouse from Sitalike and also camping sites from the park. Mpanda has simple but clean hotels.