The climate of Katavi is generally hot and it stays that way for the rest of the year since it is situated near the equator crossing. At night in Katavi it is quite different from other parks in the northern part of Tanzania, since they are normally warmer (approximately 20°C or 68°F). During the day, the Temperatures are approximately 32°C or 90°F. Its broad difference in altitude (816m to 1634m or 2677ft to 5361ft) is actually responsible for the temperature variations. For each 1000 meters you ascend, the Temperatures drop by approximately 6.5°C you climb (or 3.5°F / 1000ft). Fortunately the areas commonly accessed by tourist are mainly on low altitudes.
Dissimilar to the coast and other parks in the north, Katavi experiences a single continuous wet season (that starts in November to April). It normally does not rain the entire day, however experiences afternoon thundershowers. The park has a dry season that begins in May to October.
Dry season (from May to October)
May – This is the finish of the wet season. It rains occasionally in this month.
June, July, August and September – Afternoon temperatures are usually around 31°C/88°F. Most days are sunny and clear. Rain would be very rare at this time. June to August have the coldest nights, but are still moderate with minimum temperatures of about 17°C/63°F on average.
October – This month marks the end of the dry season. In October, the park experiences the highest temperatures throughout the year, contrary slightly to the other months. You can expect some occasional rain showers some days while the humidity gradually increases.
Wet season (this starts in November up to April)
November, December, January, February, March and April
During these months, the humidity is quite high and may feel really hot. In the Afternoon, the temperatures are normally about 32°C or 90°F and in the night they drop to approximately 21°C or 70°F. in the afternoon, Thunderstorms are likely and it rains almost every day, however, rarely rains the entire day.
Ranking as the 3rd largest national park in the whole of Tanzania, it is situated in the isolated southwest part of the country, in a shortened arm of the Rift Valley which ends in the shallow, clutch area of Lake Rukwa.
Katavi National Park supports a large featureless area of twisted brachystegia woodland that serves as home to various wild animals such as the localized elands, sables as well as roan antelopes. However the main aim for game viewing in the park is River Katuma plus the associated floodplains like the seasonal Lake Chada and Lake Katavi. Throughout the rainy season, these abundant, marshy lakes are a sanctuary for a variety of water birds, and in addition they support the biggest concentrations of hippos and crocodiles.
The Actual Size of Katavi National Park
the park covers a total area of 4,471 square kilometers or 1727 square miles).
It is Located in the Southwestern part of Tanzania, just east of the renowned Lake Tanganyika.
The park headquarters found at Sitalike are situated 40 kilometers or 25 miles south of the town of Mpanda.
Katavi Safari
When To Visit Katavi
Katavi Weather
How To Get To Katavi
Birding in Katavi