Katavi National Park:

The park is Africa at its most wild!
Katavi, about 35km southwest of Mpanda, is Tanzania’s third-largest park and one of its most unspoiled wilderness areas. Katavi is a true wilderness, providing intrepid souls who make it there with a thrilling taste of Africa. Katavi National Park lies in Mpanda district in the west of Tanzania.
With an area of 4471 km², it is Tanzania’s third largest park. Together with the neighbouring Rukwa, Lukwati and Luafi Game Reserves and numerous forest reserves, this ecosystem of 25 000 km² is the heart of one of the biggest and richest wildlife areas in Tanzania. Katavi National Park got its name from the spirit katabi (from the Wabende tribe). Legend says that it lives near Lake Katavi in a twin pair of trees (Tamarindus indica and Faidherbia albida).
The landscape of Katavi, together with Rukwa National Park, was created as a result of a minor fault in the Western Albertine Rift which formed a wide alluvial plain. The park has a central, very flat valley floor which forms spectacular flood plains after the rains, and attracts huge herds to its bounty from the surrounding hills.
Katavi is an incredibly exciting place and has a truly wild, almost primeval feel, which hits you intensely from the moment you first see the game scattered over the Katisunga flood plain as you approach by air. In the dry season, herds of buffalo, two or three thousand strong graze on the plains, pods of several hundred hippo cram the seasonal rivers, herds of elephant feed on the plains and drink from the springs.

Wildlife:
Katavi National park is the heart of one of the richest wildlife areas in Tanzania. Located along the rift escarpment in western Tanzania, it offers incredible scenery including immense wetlands, roaring waterfalls and original miombo woodlands, where the Sable antelopes often hide.

Flood plains of thick reeds and dense waterways are home to a huge population of hippo and varied birdlife. In the woodlands to the west, forest canopies shroud herds of buffalo and elephant. Seasonal lakes fill with dirt coloured water after the rains and animals from all corners of the park descend on them to drink. The park is also home to the rare roan and sable antelope species, and is a must-see for the visitor intent on exploring the wilds of the continent.

You can also observe many animals along the pools of the Katuma River which are bursting with hippos and crocodiles. At the water sources, the lions, leopards and wild dogs can be found searching for their prey, watched by patiently waiting vultures which share the trees with fish eagles, storks and vervet monkeys.

An abundance of giraffe, zebra, impala and reedbuck provide easy pickings for the lion prides and hyena clans whose territories converge on the floodplains, while the brachystegia woodland supports substantial but elusive populations of the localised eland, sable androan antelopes.
Getting there:
You can travel to this National Park by air, Road or Rail means. There are Charter flights from Dar and Arusha to the park.
A tough but spectacular day's drive from Mbeya (550 km/340 miles) or in the dry season only from Kigoma (390 km/240 miles).
It is possible to reach Mpanda by rail from Dar via Tabora, then to catch public transport to Sitalike, where game drives can be arranged. If travelling overland, allow plenty of time to get there and back.
What to Do:
Game viewing: Katavi National park has got high habitat and species diversity with high concentrations of large mammals. You will probably have the place to yourself, and you are guaranteed to see many of the animals. The main focus for game viewing within the park is the Katuna River and associated floodplains such as the seasonal Lake Katavi and Chada. During the rainy season, these lush, marshy lakes are a haven for myriad water birds, and they also support Tanzania’s densest concentrations of hippo and crocodile.
The Park is Home to some endangered and unusual species: wild dog, cheetahs (mostly seen in Mbuga ya Duma) roan and sable antelopes (e.g. in the woods of Ilumbi), eland (often encountered at lake Katavi, Kaselami Mbuga, the northern Chada plain, Kataukasi and Kakonje Mbugas)
A singular wildlife spectacle is provided by Katavi’s hippos, with hundred-strong pods jostling for wallowing space in the dry season, frequently leading to bloody territorial fights between males.  
Guided game drives are conducted by the bush camps. Self-drive visitors can do their own game drives, ideally with a ranger to guide them around. The headquarters can also arrange game drives.
Birding Watching and scenic viewing: The Park is excellent for bird watching, with over 400 species of birds identified particularly around its Lakes. Scenic diversity with escarpments, rugged hills, flat alluvial plains, marshes, lakes and rivers. Scenic spots are: hot springs, waterfalls Ndido, Chorangwa, Lukima, Iloba, and beautiful views from the top of the escarpment down into the Rukwa valley (e.g. the view of the steep Mlele escarpment close to Mpunga Mbuga).
Cultural Visits: A tamarind tree near Lake Katavi is said to be inhabited by the legendary spirit-hunter for whom the park is named – locals leave offerings here to obtain its blessing. The park is rich with historical and cultural resources The Karema-Inyonga-Tabora slave route passed through the protected area complex. Stone Age and Iron Age sites, sites of 19th century towns, Wamweru Hills and Katabi tree (14 km from the airstrip).
When to go:
Katavi is open year-round, but is easiest and best to visit during the dry season
(May-October).
Roads within the park are often flooded during the rainy season but may be passable from mid-December to February.
Places to Stay:
Chada Camp:  is situated in the wilderness in a remote area of Katavi. Chada Camp is a very traditional, small and stylish safari camp, offering one of the most luxurious safari experiences in Tanzania. The lodge is set in a glade of tall acacia trees overlooking the seasonalLake Chada floodplain.

Park Headquaters resthouse: A well-equiped resthouse.

Lake Katavi Rest House: This overlooks the Katavi floodplain, 15Km south of the entrance gate and about 1Km west of the main Sumbawanga road and boasts a stunning situation and there is excellent game viewing from the balcony.

 

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