Discover Katavi National park
Discover Katavi National Park is among the areas that are protected. Was founded in 1974.Being one of Tanzania’s more isolated parks, it receives less visitors than other parks. It encompasses 4,471 square km of land in total. Tanzania’s third-largest national park is Katavi National Park. Lake Katavi, Lake Sedsongl Chada, and the River Katuma serve as the park’s primary water sources. The park was named after the fabled hunter who was formerly revered by the people. The people believe the hunter, Mr. Katabi, to have possessed a tamarind tree in his soul. The Tamarid tree today is one of the visited Tanzania safari attraction tree species in this region, and the villagers use their offerings to win favour.
Katavi National park offers fantastic off-beaten-path and a wonderful wildlife viewing opportunities in Tanzania. It is one of the most untamed safari in Africa destinations. This is because the park has unspoiled, isolated nature and it is situated in western region of Tanzania. It is a great Tanzania safari tours destination for various Tanzania wildlife safaris for it is less crowded park than Serengeti National Park. The park offers a variety of picturesque vistas such as the flood plains with dense reeds that don’t overhang the marshy vegetation created by the water runways. The forests dominate the park’s vegetation when viewed from the west. Large biodiversity and uncommon animal and bird species can be found in the magnificent Katavi National Park.
The wildlife species found here include crocodiles, hippos, and other water animals, as well as buffalo, elephants, antelopes, hyenas, and many more. The park provides adventurous visitors with a great memorable African safari tour experience. The Katavi National Park has Katisunga Plains which serve as its main attraction, and this is where game drives take place. Katavi national park is home to both sable and roan antelopes. The park is known for having the largest population of buffaloes anywhere in the world.
Where is Katavi national park located?
The park is situated in Tanzania’s southwest on the escarpments of the Great Rift Valley. The park is found in Sitalike which is located 40 kilometres south of Mpanda town and is adjacent to the park headquarters. One of the park’s entrance sites is East of Lake Tanganyika, where the park is located. Road access to the park from Dar es Salaam is possible via the cities of Mbeya and Kigoma. The 550 kilometres of travel takes about 8 to 9 hours if one is in Mbeya Town. Although it takes 5 to 6 hours to travel 390 kilometres to Kigoma town, this path is only accessible during dry seasons. The alternative route to reach Katavi National Park via Mpanda is via rail, which begins in Dar es Salaam and ends at Tabora Park. If visitors would want to travel by public transportation, they can take buses from Sitalike town. It takes more over four hours to fly to the park if the visitors are from Arusha. It is possible to travel by road, but it will take more than 1,000 kilometres.
Wildlife in Katavi National Park
The park has an isolated setting which has significantly impacted on the growing mammal population. The park is endowed with a diverse array of wildlife, such as the Sable and Roan antelopes. The park also has the world’s largest population of buffaloes. Other wildlife includes cheetahs, wild dogs, lions, jackals, leopards, hyenas, wildebeest, giraffes, and hippos, among many others.
Birds
It is one of the best birding safari destination in Tanzania with more than 400 different bird species that may be seen at Katavi National Park, including the African Fishing Eagle, Paradise flycatchers, Lilac Breasted Rollers, Saddle Billed Storks, Bateleurs, and many others.
Katavi national park is scenic
The park is endowed with a natural vegetation cover that offers visitors picturesque vistas. The diverse vegetation found in the park, such as the open grasslands, marshes, and woodlands, greatly adds to its beauty.
Things to do at Katavi National Park
There are plenty of Tanzania wildlife safari in Katavi National Park, which has drawn more Tanzania safari tour visitors to explore the area. The fantastic wildlife experiences that visitors can have at the park offset the area’s remoteness in terms of daily visitor numbers. Some of the top activities that visitors might anticipate or enjoy when visiting the park are listed below.
Guided Nature walks
This is one of the few Tanzanian national parks that offers guided nature walks. During the guided woodland walk, especially for birding safaris, travellers can converse. You are brought up close to the wildlife by the game rangers.
Game viewing
In all of Africa’s protected areas, including Katavi National Park, seeing game is a popular activity. The main reason tourists visit Africa is to see the Big Five animals—especially lions and elephants. Numerous animals, including buffaloes, sable and Roan antelopes, and many others, can be found in the park. Predators such as lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, jackals, and many others can be found in the park.The park is open for year-round game viewing. The months of June through October when the park is dry is the best time for watching games. One of the few parks in Tanzania where you may see animals up close. The Kasitunga Plains is the location of game drives, which typically take place daily from 7 am to 6 pm.
Visit the Historical sites
Stone Age sites from the 19th century can be found in Katavi National Park is one of the most historically protected area in Tanzania. The popular slave route between Kabora and Iyonga, the principal commerce route, was heavily influenced by the prospect of enslavement.
The Tamarind Tree
One of the park’s most notable features is the Tamarind tree, which is where the legendary hunter used to disappear. This tree is significant to the park’s history. The locals still hold the belief that Katabi the hunter’s spirit is present. It’s one of the historical locations in the park that has drawn more visitors.
Birdwatching in Katavi National Park
Enjoy the finest birdwatching experience in this secluded national park with over 400 different bird species can be found in Katavi National Park. The park’s tranquilly facilitates viewing more birding lists in a shorter amount of time for birdwatchers. The greatest time to go birding in Tanzania is during the breeding season, which runs from March to May and coincides with the wet season. Both open savannah and forest bird species are readily accessible on the lengthy list.
One of the national parks in Tanzania that provides Tanzania safari tour visitors with an exciting wilderness experience is Katavi National Park.
