In the dry season, large herds of buffaloes, zebras as well as impalas congregate with elephants plus waterbucks around the dried out water reserves of Lake Chada plus Lake Katavi. During this season, River Katuma is swarmed with hippos plus crocodiles and it is uniquely easy to see lions.
Wildlife specials
Katavi is not specifically known for its unique animal species, however it is their overwhelming number that is really fascinating. There are large herds of Buffaloes totaling to several thousands. You will see Hippos bursting out of the surviving puddles of seasonal rivers towards the finish of the dry season. The stunning sable antelopes may at times be seen within the Miombo woodland.
Best time for game viewing
Katavi is basically a dry season wildlife park. The Game viewing is excellent in the middle as well as to the finish of the dry season, starting in June up to October. It is actually easier to see the wild animals since the vegetation is less and the animals congregate around particular water resources. This park is open all year round however the majority of the roads are pretty bad especially during the wet season and the majority of the camps are closed.
Elephants – Common
Giraffes – Common
Hippos – Abundant
Buffaloes – Abundant
Zebras – Common
Wildebeests – Very Rare
White Rhinos – None
Black Rhino- None
Lions – Common
Leopards – Occasional
Cheetah – Rare or even none
Hyenas – Occasional
Wild Dog – Rare
Remote, untamed and rarely visited, Katavi is certainly a great wilderness, offering the few courageous souls that make it there a wonderful experience of this large African continent as it should have been several years ago.
Katavi is the third biggest animals national park, because it is perfectly located within the distant southwestern of this country, in a cut down arm of the East Africa Rift Valley which terminates in the superficial, brooding 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.
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’s most particular wildlife spectacle is offered by its hippos. 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.
Katavi Safari
When To Visit Katavi
Katavi Weather
How To Get To Katavi
Birding in Katavi
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