Katavi National Park

Habitat

The park boasts a wonderful array of habitats, which range from flood plains of thick reeds and dense waterways that teem with hippos and crocodiles to woodlands, open grasslands, forests and pristine seasonal lakes. Visitors to the area can seek out the legendary tamarind tree, which is said to house the spirit of a great huntsman named Katabi. Here, they can place an offering at the base of the tree in memory of this exceptional hunter.

Wildlife

We can’t think of anywhere else that showcases buffalo and lion duels quite so well as Katavi; game drives here can be seriously explosive! Katavi is equally famous for its enormous crocodile and hippo populations – the huge hippo pool can see 600 hippos at its peak and nowhere else in Africa do crocodiles hibernate in dens as they do here.  The wildlife in Katavi hasn’t read the species behavioral rule book!   Sizeable elephant herds and good numbers of zebra, giraffe, topi, leopard, waterbuck, hyena and very occasionally wild dog make this a park to compete with the finest safari experiences in the world.

Best time to visit

The Dry season (June to October) is when you should travel to Nyerere, even though you'll be joining the crowds attracted by this period's clear blue skies. It's at this time animals converge on rivers and waterholes, and the dry bush is sparse enough for views of wildlife to be unobscured. If you do visit in the wetter months, be aware that numerous lodges close their doors from March to May.