Chada Katavi

Chada Katavi overlooks the Chada plain and sits under a cooling canopy of acacia trees. Katavi’s wildlife is well-renowned and highlights will include herds of buffalo, as well as elephant, lion, leopard and a myriad of plains game species. The park is also known for hippos congregating in large numbers at the limited water sources, and crocodiles skulking in caves as they enter a dormant state in the dry season.

Accommodation is provided in six simple but very comfortable safari tents. They are spacious, airy, and complete with eco-flush toilet and hot-water bucket shower. Chada Katavi is run by Nomad Tanzania, one of our favourite operators in East Africa, with a huge focus on sustainable luxury and minimal ecological footprint.

The guides here are exceptional and will enjoy nothing more than taking you on a walking safari into the bush to explore the wilds of Katavi on foot. Night drives are also possible, and an undoubted highlight is fly camping under the stars – a true African delight, which is only offered by a small number of experienced operators.

Due to the extreme nature of the seasons in Katavi, Chada is only open from June to early November when the rains begin and render game-viewing much more difficult. The park is driest from July to October and this is Katavi at its most intense and spectacular. Flights arrive twice a week to/from Arusha.

Chada Katavi combines perfectly with Greystoke Mahale (another Nomad Tanzania property), in the remote Mahale mountains, to provide the perfect Western Tanzania adventure.