Katavi: The Hidden Garden of Eden

January 17, 2025

Dear Subscriber First Name,

Tucked away in Western Tanzania, Katavi National Park is a true hidden gem among Africa’s national parks. It embodies everything that gives Africa its reputation for vastness, wildness, and abundant wildlife. Very few people put it on their itinerary, making it one of Tanzania’s most untouched and intimate safari destinations. During the lengthy wet season, Katavi becomes impenetrable. Along with the surrounding game reserves that are as vast as the park itself and the sparsely populated areas beyond it forms a gigantic ecosystem where wild animals roam freely (remember: unlike in many other safari destinations, protected areas are not fenced in Tanzania).

I had known Katavi from earlier visits during the short dry season. August through October is usually the best time to visit. I wanted to find out how the park changes with the onset of the green season, so I visited in late November. During my stay I was the only visitor in the entire park. Imagine this: The only (!!!) visitor in a national park of the size of the Grand Canyon.

Currently there are only three tented camps in Katavi. One of them already closes at the beginning of November, as it is simply no longer accessible after that time. Compare Katavi to the Serengeti and you will easily understand why you are guaranteed a pristine nature experience here: The Serengeti, which is three times the size of Katavi, hosts over 300 lodges and camps!

Katavi has kept the feel of original wilderness--unchanged since the days of the early European explorers. With its sprawling floodplains and seasonal lakes, the park is a true haven for wildlife. The dry season forces the animals that normally spread out as far as Lake Tanganyika and Lake Rukwa to concentrate in Katavi. By September, you’ll see elephants daily. Herds of buffalo—hundreds, sometimes thousands—graze the parched floodplains. Myriads of hippos and crocodiles crowd shrinking pools and wallows. Rare roan and sable antelopes emerge from the miombo woodlands and roam the plains. Large herds of impala and topi are omnipresent, while lions, spotted hyenas, and even the elusive wild dogs appear in pursuit. Leopards can also be spotted quite regularly along the Katuma River Channel.

To showcase this abundance of life, I’ve included more photos than usual in this edition of Shauku Afrika Explorer. For an even deeper look into Katavi’s wild beauty, visit the extensive photo-gallery an my website:

I chose to fly camp in Katavi. Fly camping means that you can pretty much camp anywhere you want, as long as you don’t leave a trace. There's no more direct way to experience the wilderness. In the past, herds of elephants passed our car at night and we could look into their moonlit eyes through the mosquito mesh of our roof tent. On another occasion, a leopard crept within five meters of our camp while we cooked dinner. We saw only its eyes at first, then the full prince of stealth. All of this happened while fly camping in Katavi.

Although Katavi had already seen several heavy rains by the time I arrived, making some animals depart, the park was full of life. Hippos and buffaloes roamed everywhere. Unfortunately, so did the infamous tsetse flies. While these flies play an important role in the park's conservation, keeping out cattle herders and human settlements, they are, undeniably, a nuisance. Thankfully, camps have effective measures to keep tsetse flies at bay during your stay.

But I had come for the adventure, and that meant embracing the full green season experience—traveling along roads that nature was reclaiming. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my A/C fixed before I left, which meant I endured the worst stretch of Katavi in a sauna, swarmed by hundreds of tsetse flies. To get a sense of just how miserable it was, watch my latest vlog post, where you can get a closer look at how that journey went.

Tuko pamoja,

Conrad

Announcements:

Some of the new subscribers have asked for access to previous editions of Shauku Afrika Explorer. Thank you for your interest! Here’s the link:

Vlog Preview

Join me on a 14-minute adventure through Katavi during the Green Season—where I discover the park’s incredible beauty, only to be banished from this Garden of Eden by myriads of hungry Tsetse flies.

A Subtle Nudge:

Alongside sharing stories and insights, I also curate bespoke African adventures. If you ever feel the call to experience the featured places in person, you’ll find more details about my tailor-made safaris on my website: www.shaukuafrika.com

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