Western Tanzania

The western safari parks - Mahale & Katavi - offer a true “off the beaten track” safari experience. Inaccessibility - a 4 hour flight from Arusha or a night stop over from the south - and relative costs make it one of the lesser explored parts of Tanzania. However, for those both rich in funds and time, it is one of the most exhilarating and life-changing safari experiences out there. For the seasoned safari goer, this is next on the list; it deserves to be ranked amongst the all-time great trips on this wonderful continent.

The best month to head to Katavi National Park, to see the famous denning crocodile and the hippo pool, and vast buffalo herds, is from August until the end of September. However, the later in the season you go, the easier hippo and crocodile sightings become, and the harder it becomes to see the vast herds of buffalo. Late August gives you a good chance of both! This being said, if you were to head to this region anytime between the middle of June through to the middle of November you won't be disappointed!

Getting to and from the Western safari parks is definitely the biggest challenge, both for the travel time and cost. Fly from Arusha on a Monday or Thursday (an overnight in Arusha beforehand is necessary).