Tanzania’s most remote and spectacular dry-season destination. When the floods recede, Katavi’s shrinking pools and rivers concentrate hippo in extraordinary numbers — sometimes thousands visible simultaneously in a single waterhole. Crocodile feeding scenes are among the most dramatic in Africa. Virtually no other visitors, no tarmac, and some of the finest guiding in Tanzania. Accessible only by light aircraft.
Ratings
Wildlife Density: ★★★★☆ Infrastructure: ★☆☆☆☆ Photography: ★★★★★
Adventure: ★★★★★ Exclusivity: ★★★★★ Value for Money: ★★☆☆☆ Scenery: ★★★★★
Key wildlife: Hippo (thousands in dry-season pools), Nile crocodile (massive concentrations), lion, elephant, buffalo, topi, Defassa waterbuck, zebra, giraffe
Best for: Extreme adventurers, hippo and crocodile photography, absolute wilderness, combination with Mahale
Best time: June–October (dry season only; inaccessible in wet season)
More about this reserve will be added here over time.
25South 