The Katavi and Mahale safari
Discover outstanding game in the wild Katavi and chimpanzees in Mahale’s remote forests on the edge of Lake Tanganyika. This safari to Tanzania’s remote west must be one of the best wildlife and wilderness experiences in Africa.
Our safari camps are small and intimate accommodating a maximum 12 guests.
- Arusha
- Katavi National Park
- Lake Tanganyika
- 9 days/8 nights
Highlights of Katavi and Mahale
The extreme wilderness conditions and wildlife you’ll encounter in Katavi are a stark contrast with the almost surreal forest encounters in Mahale.
- Outstanding game in Africa’s top parks
- diverse habitats
- extreme wildlife experiences
- Katavi – Tanzanian wetlands and woodlands, home to leopard, zebra, elephant, lion and buffalo and large populations of hippo and crocodile. Good for bird watching
- Lake Tanganyika – Second largest lake in the world with gin clear waters supporting around 500 species of endemic cichlids. The Great Rift Valley mountains surround the lake. Chimpanzees live in the Mahale Mountains National Park.
Both destinations share an extreme sense of uninhabited remoteness – Katavi is a 4 hour flight from Arusha. Mahale is a further 1 hour flight and 2 hours by dhow. We’re now 100 km from the nearest road!
Best time to go on safari in Tanzania’s wild west
- July/August/September – best time to travel but also the busiest time of year in East Africa. Camps are small and available on a first come first served basis. Book early.
- Katavi is closed between 19 December to 1st June for the rainy season.
- Mahale is closed 3rd week March to end of May.
'Bucket list' safari
Africa's wild and unexplored areas whilst increasingly rare are still available to intrepid travellers.
These largely uninhabited places are all remote, often with limited or zero road access.
You're not going to see tourist crowds, you're very likely to be in the company of top professional guides, rich rewards are a certainty.
Katavi and Mahale certainly hit this sweet spot perfectly.
This week long wild encounter will leave indelible memories of Africa at its best.
Seasoned safari hands count "bucket list" travel experiences in Africa on the fingers of one hand.
This particular safari combination is definitely in the top 5 league in southern, central and east Africa!
ItineraryFrom $7745
Day 1 - Arusha You're met on arrival at Kilimanjaro International Airport for road transfer to Onsea House. Dinner, breakfast, early morning coffee & tea on the verandah and afternoon tea.
Day 2 - Katavi National Park Your guide will meet you after breakfast for transfer to Arush airport for your onward flights to Katavi. Met on arrival for game drive transfer to camp.
Day 3 - Katavi National Park You're staying in one of Africa's best wildlife destinations! Dramatic and adventurous. Hippos and crocodiles in the rivers and more mammals than any other reserve in Tanzania... enjoy!
Day 4 - Katavi National Park 4500 square kilometres of Tanzanian woods and wetlands to explore. Excellent array animal and bird, including leopard, elephant, zebra, buffalo and lion.
Day 5 - Katavi National Park Your final day at Katavi. A day of game drives and walks with your professional guide and to reflect and feel privileged to be able to explore such a remote and uninhabited area of Africa.
Day 6 - Leave Katavi for Lake Tanganyika Final game drive transfer to Katavi airstrip for your flight to Mahale. On arrival you'll hop onto a motorised dhow on Lake Tanganyika to camp.
Day 7 - Lake Tanganyika Stay at Greystoke Mahale in one of their comfortable wooden bandas with views across the sandy beach. Stylish rustic interiors made from dhow timber. A true barefoot paradise.
Day 8 - Lake Tanganyika Activities on a shared basis include: chimp trekking, forest walks, village visits, boat trips and deep water swimming in some of the cleanest waters in the world!
Day 9 - Leave Lake Tanganyika Boat transfer to the airstrip for your scheduled flight to Arusha (only on Monday and Thursday) to connect to your onward destination. We can help with your onward travel arrangements if you wish.
How to get there
Flights to Katavi and Mahale
Starting and ending in Arusha (also available from Dar-es-Salaam on request). We advise a night in Arusha before the start of the safari; this is not included in the price of the safari.
Wildlife
Best time for predators, Crocodiles and hippos in Katavi is during October and November, with the rains usually commencing mid-November.
Best for birds in Katavi is from late September through the rainy season. The best month for photography is in June when the Katavi skies are light.
Chimps are probably most difficult during in June and February when they tend to be quite high in the mountains; the best time to visit is during September/October/November when the chimps are usually in the foothills.
If you can be flexible plan a trip during October/November/December. Katavi’s low season rates run from November to camp closure in February. Low season in Mahale is during November/December – excluding Christmas and New Year period.
Let the Zambezi team help you
We're well established "can-do" professionals for whom Africa is home turf offering unrivalled local connections on the ground supported by a wider network closer to you.
We're on hand to help wherever you are. Just drop a note right here...
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Katavi and Mahale Katavi and Mahale offer stark contrasts, diverse habitats and a safari experience you'll find hard to match anywhere in Africa
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