Katavi Wildlife Camp
Katavi NP, Tanzania
The ultimate off-the-beaten-track safari destination – and you’re surrounded by wildlife the moment you arrive
The joy of the southern parks is that they offer game viewing
without the crowds. Katavi, Tanzania’s third largest park and
one of Africa’s remotest, is the stomping ground of buffalo,
elephant, cheetah and lion. This small fence-free camp with its
prime river-mouth site - the only water source for miles - is a
massive draw for old Africa hands. The golden grass plains and
wooded fringes of Katavi, lushly swampy in the wet season, attract
vast herds of game in the dry one. As the Kutuma river shrinks to a
stream, lumbering hippos jostle for space, ears atwitch beneath
muddy waters. And all this within striking distance of your tent -
don’t be surprised to discover a leopard napping on your
verandah!
It sounds like only the adventurous need apply, but safari-lovers
young and old are made welcome here. The terrain is flat so there's
no uphill trekking, the tents are spacious, the food is
inviting and the guides are the best. What could possibly be nicer,
after two game drives a day, than a snooze beneath acacia trees and
a shot of Konyagi with bitter lemon? Dinner – candlelit and
delicious - can be intimate or convivial, depending on numbers and
what you prefer. Dine in the lodge or by the campfire;
everything’s possible here.
Recommended awaiting i-escape review
Last updated 01 February 2012
Highs
- Sited in the richest game area of one of Africa’s least known conservation parks
- Great game viewing without the crowds - you're more likely to see a lion than another tourist!
- The highest density of hippos and big crocs in Tanzania, and abundant waterfowl in the wet season
- Host and guides are knowledgeable, hospitable, flexible and 100% hands-on
- Tents feel comfortable, spacious and very private
- One of only 2 permanent safari camps in Katavi sharing 4,500km2 of wilderness
Lows
- Remote location, reached via a long flight in light aircraft, with scheduled departures only on Mondays and Thursdays
- Seasonal safari operation only: closed March through May, and pretty rainy from mid December through February (but great for birds then)
- Expect tsetse flies on game drives – though not back at camp
- This is a simple, authentic safari camp: don't expect a pool, massages or swathes of staff (though there is WiFi!)
