Tanzania consists of several national parks; some are better known than others but that doesn’t make the others less impressive.

Katavi National Park is one of the countries lesser known national park. Like Mahale National Park, Katavi National Park is difficult to access and can be expensive to visit which is why it attracts a limited number of tourists.

Because the park doesn’t attract as many tourists as other National Parks in the country, it remains untouched offering an authentic experience of Africa’s forests. On a game you’re more likely to walk into a pride of lions than a group of people you don’t know!

Companies organizing African safaris would love to provide tours of Katavi National Park however the logistics make it difficult. The existing camps share a space of 4500 km² of forest.

Katavi National Park – Flora and Fauna

Katavi National Park is the country’s third largest park. It contains of two enormous golden grass fields that cover the park and are encircled by woodlands of different types.

Katavi’s animals

The dry season (August–October) is the ideal time to visit the park. During this time, the park’s golden plains are filled with topis, impalas, zebras and many other animals you don’t see in your everyday life. Other common animals include giraffes, Defassa waterbucks and hartebeests.

There are also herds of elephants that walk around the park along with buffalos and other impressive animals.

If you’ve dreamt of watching lions up close than Katavi National Park is the place for you; Katavi is an excellent spot for unforgettable encounters with the king of the jungle!

You’ll also spot a hyena here and there and if you’re really lucky, you’ll find a leopard on the woodland fringes. The park is also home to wild dogs that can be dangerous but they usually just stick to specific areas.

Katavi National Park has two major rivers called the Katuma and Kapapa. There aren’t many water sources present in the part which is why the two rivers attract all types of animals including hippos and crocodiles.

Birds

Never seen a stork before? Katavi has large flocks of storks of different kinds. In addition to storks, you’ll also find raptors, cranes and pink backed pelicans.

Getting to Katavi National Park

Katavi’s remote location is what has kept it unscathed for so long. For those looking to have a real experience in the wildlife, Katavi National Park is the ultimate destination.

It takes 4–5hours to visit Katavi by a plane from Dar or Arusha.

The cheapest way to travel to Katavi is to take one of the biweekly flights from Arusha in the north of the country.

There are other flights that also connect Katavi and Mahale National Park to Dar, Selous and Ruaha. Sadly, the cost of taking these flights are similar to the price of chartering.

If you want to see Tanzanian wildlife at its finest then you absolutely have to visit Katavi National Park. Connect with Nakuja Expeditions for details on tours and camp stays!