Luxury Lodges · Katavi National Park, Tanzania
Chada Katavi
Overview
Little has changed at Chada Katavi since the Nomad Tanzania founders arrived 20 years ago.
From the air you have to look carefully to spot camp, you'll find your eyes are immediately drawn to such wide open spaces. That's the promise of Katavi, total absorption into the natural world and the place virtually to yourself.
Chada Katavi is much the same camp that it was when it began - designed to be a stylishly simple bushcamp, with everything you need and nothing you dont, small and intimate with just six East African safari tents. Each of them is spacious and comfortable with wide-open fronts giving you panoramic views of the plain and animal life that constantly comes and goes. In fact, you often don't have to leave your tent veranda to see game of all kinds. Elephant are frequent visitors, attracted to the same shady fruit trees as our guests, and vast herds of buffalo graze on the flood plain in front of camp.
Katavi is known for fantastic game, with vast herds of buffalo roaming the plains; also elephant, lion, leopard, crocodiles and hippo. The park really comes into it's own between June and October which is when the camp operates. With water sources becoming increasingly hard to find hippo's crowd in their hundreds into the last water holes, and crocodiles dig big caves into river banks to aestivate through the hot season. Katavi is the only place you can see such phenomena. Chada Katavi is a camp that aims to get you out there to really feel Africa. Explore on walking safaris, game drives in open 4WD vehicles, night drives, or perhaps head out into the bush for a night fly camping under the stars. With Nomad Tanzania's expert guides you are in the very best hands to see the best of this final frontier and eldorado of safaris.
Suites & Rates
Choose how you stay
Chada Katavi Safari Tents
Large, airy en-suite tents with a big verandah, twin or double beds with fresh linen and a pioneering style. There's a place to hang clothes, a bureau, chairs on the verandah on which to...
Chada Katavi flycamping
Venture out for a night under the starry sky. Flycamping is a way of shedding amenities without being uncomfortable, and getting as close to nature as possible. The camp is set up by a...
Details
Good to know
Languages spoken
English, Swahili
Ideal for
Adventure, Birding, Flora, Nature, Relaxation, Star Gazing, Wildlife
Property facilities
24-hour Security, Bar, Communal Dining, Eco Friendly, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Library, Private Vehicle (Available)
Accommodation & amenities
En-Suite, Laundry Service (Complimentary), Outside Shower, Verandah
On-site activities
Bird Watching, Game Drives, Game Viewing, Game Walks, Night Drives, Safaris, Sleep Outs, Walks (Guided)
Location
Where you'll be
Video
See the stay
Chada Katavi Video
Ever wanted to disappear off the map in one of the last wild frontier's of East Africa...here's a taster of Chada Katavi where big beasts still reign. Walk in the wilds of Africa amongst lion, elephant and hippos, flycamp under the stars, enjoy the freedom of exploring with expert guides.
Activities
What you can do
Fly camping
Walk out from camp to your flycamp where you will spend a night out under the stars. You'll sleep in a mosquito netted tent, small but with enough room for a bedroll kitted out with soft mattress, sheets and a feather pillow. Nomad don't scrimp on the dining either; you'll sit down to a three-course candlelit meal and a glass of chilled wine. But, these are only the peripheral things, the backdrop to the main event. The whole point about flycamping is being out there at night, lying on your back looking up at the night sky through the roof of your netted tent; listening to the animal sounds, so different from those you hear during the day. Under the careful guard of your guide and armed ranger you can drift off to the bush lullaby and just take it all in. Without sounding too dramatic, it is hard to imagine your life not being changed in even the smallest of ways after something like this.
Game drives in open 4WD vehicles
Set out to explore Katavi with Nomad Tanzania's expert guides. Game drives typically run in the early morning from dawn until late morning, and in the afternoon from 3:30pm to sunset. Full day game drives are also available but preferably as part of a privately guided safari as most activities are on a shared basis. Private guide and vehicle available if pre-booked and there is a supplement to be paid. Night drives are also possible from Chada Katavi and must be pre-booked.
Guided walking safaris
There's walking and then there's real walking; bush walking in a good pair of boots where you want to keep going on and on. Katavi makes you feel like this, it might be something to do with the endless plains around you and vast open skies. Not to mention what you might see whilst you're out there.With your guide, and an armed scout, along for the ride, you could find yourself watching elephants from up close marveling at how, despite their size, they can move so quietly; or be meandering along the river line seeing all the different birds around the pools, and crocs and hippos who are a big feature of Katavi life. Animals who would often take flight at the sound of a vehicle, won't even know you're there and that's what makes walking out here such an incredible experience.
Ready to plan your stay?
Tell us your dates and we'll handle the rest — flights, transfers and the lodge itself.
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