Katavi National Park is the third largest park in Tanzania. It's home to three water bodies, including Lake Katavi and its vast floodplains, the palm-fringed, Lake Chada and Katuma river. As a result, it's is home to greatest concentration of hippos and crocodiles in Tanzania.

In addition to the many hippos and crocodiles that can be found in the park. Lake Katavi also contains a decent amount of buffalo, elephant, antelopes, leopard, lion, zebra, and over 400 species of water birds.

Size:

4,471 km2

Location:

The park is located 40km south of Mpanda town

Getting to:

Southwest Tanzania, East of Lake Tanganyika.  You can reach the Park by Air, by road or by rail. 40km south of Mpanda town.

Best time to visit:

The dry season (May-October)

Why should you visit?

During the dry season, the flood waters retreat and there is only one source of drinking water for miles around. As a result, an estimated 4,000 elephants might converge on the area together with several herds of 1,000-plus buffalo, while an abundance of giraffe, zebra, impala, and reedbuck provide easily pickings for the numerous lion prides and spotted hyena clans.

However, Katavi’s most singular wildlife spectacle is provided by its hippos. Towards the end of the dry season, up to 200 individuals might flop together in any pool of sufficient depth. And as more hippos gather in one place male rivalry heats up and territorial fights are common, with the vanquished male forced to lurk hapless on the open plains until it gathers sufficient confidence to mount another challenge.