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The
bulk of Katavi supports a hypnotically featurelesscover of
tangled brachystegia woodland, home to substantial but
elusive populations of the localised eland, sable and roan
antelopes. But the main focus for game viewing within the
park is the Katuma River and associated floodplains such as
the seasonal Lakes Katavi and Chada. During the rainy
season, these lush, marshy lakes are a haven for myriad
waterbirds, and they also support Tanzania’s densest
concentrations of hippo and crocodile.
It
is during the dry season, when the floodwaters retreat, that
Katavi truly comes into its own. The Katuma, reduced to a
shallow, muddy trickle, forms the only source of drinking
water for miles around, and the flanking floodplains support
game concentrations that defy belief. An estimated 4,000
elephants might converge on the area, together with several
herds of 1,000-plus buffalo, while an abundance of giraffe,
zebra, impala and reedbuck provide easy pickings for the
numerous lion prides and spotted hyena clans whose
territories converge on the floodplains.
Katavi’s most singular wildlife spectacle is provided by its
hippos. Towards the end of the dry season, up to 200
individuals might flop together in any riverine pool of
sufficient depth. And as more hippos gather in one place, so
does male rivalry heat up – bloody territorial fights are an
everyday occurrence, with the vanquished male forced to lurk
hapless on the open plains until it gathers sufficient
confidence to mount another challenge.
About Katavi National Park
Size: 4,471 sq km (1,727 sq miles).
Location; Southwest Tanzania, east of Lake Tanganyika.
The headquarters at Sitalike lie 40km (25 miles) south of
Mpanda town.
Getting there
Charter flights from Dar or Arusha.
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
Walking, driving and camping safaris.
Near Lake Katavi, visit the tamarind tree inhabited by the
spirit of the legendary hunter Katabi (for whom the park is
named) - offerings are still left here by locals seeking the
spirit’s blessing.
When to go
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.
Accommodation
One seasonal luxury tented camp overlooking Lake Chada. A
resthouse at Sitalike and campsites inside the park. Basic
but clean hotels at Mpanda.
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