KATAVI NATIONAL PARK

Katavi national park in western Tanzania is remote and wild,a destination for the true safari aficionado.The name of the park immortalizes a legendary hunter,katabi,whose spirit is believed to posses a tamarind tree ringed with offerings from locals begging his blessings.

Despite being Tanzania's third largest-park,Katavi sees relatively few visitors meaning that those guests who arrive here can look forward to having his huge untouched wildness to themselves.The park's main features are the watery grass plains to the north ,the palm-fringed lake Chada in the south-east,and the Katuma River.

Katavi boats Tanzania's greatest populations of both crocodile and hippopotamus .,lion ,and leopard find pray among the huge populations of herbivores at Katavi-Impala,eland,topi,zebra and herds of up 1,600 buffalo wander the short grass plains.The rare ,honey –coloured puku antelope is one of the park's richest wildlife viewing rewards.A kaleidoscope of birds flit across the river banks ,swamps and palm groves while flotillas of pelican cruise the lakes and elephant graze waist –deep in the marshlands. Katavi best visited in the dry season between May and October,December and February.