Africa Tour Operators

Best time to visit Katavi National Park

Excellent time is: August, September and October and also you may visit in as well as.

For fair views you may visit in: July

However we do not recommend that you travel in November, December, January, February, March and April.

 

Katavi is a typical dry rural reserve. In the wet season which commences in November up to April, the wildlife scatters into the woodlands and it is really hard to see the wild animals.  During the wet season, the heat plus humidity is harsh. Once the rains are finished, River Katuma is reduced in size into a narrow water stream and the adjacent floodplains turn into an attraction for wildlife.

 

In Brief

The best time to visit: August – October

Peak Season: July – October (Katavi hardly experiences large crowds at any time)

Low Season: April and May and during that time most lodges are closed

Best Weather Conditions: June to October since there are less rain

Worst Weather conditions: November to April since it is the wet season

 

Dry Season:

This starts in May – October and then the vegetation is not thick so it is easier to see the wild animals. During this period, the skies are clear and it is and sunny, so it hardly ever rains. There is a minimal rate of contracting Malaria. There is less Humidity and heat is less oppressive. It is extremely dry and even dusty. A couple of lodges may be closed throughout the month of May.

 

Wet Season

This starts in the month of November up to April the scenery is verdant. From November to May since it is a low season the lodges offer better rates. At this time Migratory birds can easily be seen making it the best time for watching birds. However some of the road may be impassable. Unfortunately most of the wildlife scatters into the woodland so game viewing may be rather challenging to see. The majority of the lodges are closed throughout the wet season which is from March to May. During this time, it becomes excessively hot and humid so there are several insects including mosquitoes. For that reason we recommend that you sleep under a mosquito net.

You may also see several other animals in the surviving pools on the river bed of River Katuma which is filled with numerous hippos plus crocodiles. at these few water sources, you may see some predators such as  wild dogs, lions and leopards searching for prey, and these are observed by tolerantly waiting vultures that are seen up in the trees with vervet monkeys, fish eagles as well as storks. once the first rains begin, Katavi changes yet again into a beautiful paradise with flowers  and several swamps, waterfalls, lakes and rivers coming to life that attract an incredible profusion of birds.

The most particular wildlife spectacle is offered by its hippos in Katavi. Close to the finish of the dry season, as many as 200 individuals might gather together in the various riverine pools that offer sufficient depth. As more hippos congregate in one place, the male rivalry increases nasty territorial fights become an everyday occurrence, with the defeated male forced to lie in wait wretched on the open plains till it get enough confidence to raise another challenge.

Throughout the dry season as the flood waters slowly retreat, the true beauty of Katavi then comes to life.  The Katuma whose volumes have then reduced to nothing more than a shallow, muddy trickle, is the sole source of drinking water for a couple of neighboring miles, and the neighboring floodplains sustains an overwhelmingly large number of wild animals. Approximately 4,000 elephants can gather around this area, together with large herds of more than 1,000 buffaloes, as a great number of giraffes, zebras, impalas plus reedbucks offer easy pickings for the large number of lion plus spotted hyenas whose territories meet on these floodplains.
Katavi Safari

When To Visit Katavi

Katavi Weather

How To Get To Katavi

Birding in Katavi

 

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