Tanzania’s Wildest Secret
Tanzania’s Wildest Secret : In sub-Saharan Africa, the seasons dictate how people live. Tanzania’s Katavi National Park is the place where the contrast between the dry and wet seasons is most noticeable in all of East Africa. Rainfall changes the terrain, and an abundance or lack of something might spell the difference between life and death. The park in Katavi is scorching under a scorching heat as the last of the thunderstorms fades away beyond the horizon. Rivers become trickles, the mud develops honeycomb fractures, and what’s left over turns into a raw battlefield. Crocodiles slide into caves in sandbanks, hippos congregate in lingering wallows, and herbivores have to brave the predator’s maw every day in order to drink. This is why the isolated Katavi National Park is one of the most thrilling Tanzania safari spots for insiders—it’s a rarely visited natural paradise.
Katavi National Park
Katavi National Park is one of Tanzania’s largest, covering 4,500 km2 (450,000 hectares). It is located in the Rukwa Rift Basin, a shortened arm of the Great Rift Valley that finishes around Lake Rukwa, east of Lake Tanganyika and not far from the nation’s western border. The park is bordered to the west and east by the Lyamba Iya Mfipa and Mlele escarpments. The nearby game reserves, such as Rukwa, Lukwati, and Luafi (sometimes written Lwafi) Game Reserves, greatly increase the protected area. These reserves, along with the national park, include an area of around 12,000 km^ (1,2 million hectares) of exceptional wilderness, extending to the chimpanzee forests of Mahale National Park to the north and the Ruaha ecosystem to the east. Miombo woodland makes up the majority of the park, with large wide clearings (such as the 425 km³–42,500 hectare Katisunga Plain) and floodplains strewn throughout. Naturally, the park’s rivers and networks of reed-lined waterways are the centre of life. The Kavu and Kapapa Rivers enhance the Katuma River’s network, which in turn supplies the seasonal Katavi and Chada Lakes. These river systems are flanked by old riverine forests, mostly made up of tamarind trees. These woods offer plenty of shade for the elephants, buffalos, and visitors who seek cover from the intense midday sun.
Naturally, East Africa is a Tanzania safari haven, with several locations offering very amazing animal watching. But Katavi, on Tanzania’s southern circuit, is unique in that it gets less than 500 people annually due to its remote location from the well-travelled Tanzania safari route. Travellers who take the safari in Tanzania are rewarded handsomely and frequently discover that they have a large area of the African savanna all to themselves, with not a single other traveller in sight.
Wildlife
Even if the most striking feature of Katavi is how remote and undiscovered it is, the wildlife sightings are nevertheless breathtaking in and of themselves. The dry season, as previously indicated, is when Katavi really shines as a Tanzania safari destinations. The park is transformed into a raw and spectacular display of nature when the grass turns golden and the water disappears. Because hippos and crocodiles are water-dependent animals, this area of Tanzania has the highest concentrations of these animals. All of them have, however, evolved to withstand the yearly loss of their favourite habitat, which they can now endure for months on end. In a frantic attempt to escape the scorching sun, hundreds of hippos nest inside mud mounds. Despite their friendly nature, hippos are naturally gregarious creatures, and conflicts between bulls are particularly frequent when hundreds of these two-ton animals are housed close together. The resulting photo ops from this sight are well known for their desolate portrayal of the brutality of nature. It makes sense that the crocodiles would rather stay away from these enormous mosh pits. Rather, they swarm into riverside caverns, slithering past one other to take up advantageous positions before going into hibernation to wait out the dry season.
The land-dwelling animals of Katavi are also compelled to assemble around the drying water points, and the abundance of animals on exhibit from May to October is an amazing sight. The Katavi area is renowned Tanzania safari tour destination for its enormous herds of buffalo and numerous elephants, and it is home to healthy populations of lions, painted wolves (wild dogs), cheetahs, and hyenas. In some areas of the park, elands come in big herds, and visitors may be fortunate enough to see both roan and sable antelopes.
It is a birding safari in Tanzania, there are currently around 400 known bird species. Naturally, the majority of visitors come to Katavi to enjoy the best birding chances, not to mention the mammal displays during the dry season. Rather, when the migratory species return to Katavi for their “summer,” from November to April, when the rains start, is the ideal time to go bird watching in the park. The seasonal lakes fill in these months, transforming floodplains back into marshy swamps, providing excellent opportunities to observe water birds.
Explore Katavi National Park
Despite Katavi’s isolation, the park and its environs have a few opulent lodges that rival any other in Africa in terms of opulence and comfort. Ideally situated to capitalise on the dry months, these stunning camps provide amazing “armchair” animal viewing experiences from the decks of the lodges in between game drives. Sadly, the most of the camps are closed for the majority of the rainy season, which runs from November through May. During this time, the park’s roads become muddy and many areas are completely inaccessible. Camping and self-driving in the park are options for the more daring traveller, but it’s important to factor in the travel time (measured in days rather than hours).The majority of tourists choose to take a three-hour flight from Dar es Salaam to the Ikuu airstrip.
Conclusion
A seemingly harmless-looking tamarind tree beside Lake Katavi, in the centre of Katavi National Park, has profound spiritual significance. The Bende and Pimbwe people think that the ghost of the legendary hunter Katabi has made this place his home. He gazes out across the mountains at Wamweru, his wife, who resides there as well. It is said that placing presents and offerings at the base of the tree will bring good fortune and benefits. Katavi was called after the hunter-spirit Katabi. Visitors are invited to leave their presents for the priceless tree, and the locals are happy to partake in Katabi’s favours.
The knowledge of the force of nature and our deep, instinctive connection to it are just two aspects of the raw, visceral experience that is Katavi. This cultural history gem is just one aspect of it. One of Tanzania safaris tours destinations ,best-kept secrets is undoubtedly untrammelled Katavi, with her dramatic interplay of life and death and seasonal follies.
