10 Days Katavi and Mahale Safari

10 Days Katavi and Mahale Safari is an exciting mix of chimpanzee tracking, walking safari with armed ranger, snorkeling and much more.

Day 1: Arrival

Your driver/guide and our representative will meet you at Kilimanjaro International Airport to begin your Katavi and Mahale safari. We’ll transport you to Lake Duluti Lodge or Rivertrees Country Inn. We’ll send our safari manager to greet you and give you an overview of the trip. Dinner will be served.

Day 2: Arusha-Katavi 

After breakfast you will be transferred to Arusha Airport for your shared charter flight to Katavi National Park in southwest Tanzania. The flight departs at 8:00 a.m. and you arrive in Katavi around 11:30 a.m. Your guide will take you to Katuma Bush Lodge for lunch. The lodge is located in the middle of the park, on an elevated point overlooking the vast plains of Katisunga. Herds of animals searching for fresh pasture and water provide the perfect view right from your tent. Tamarind and acacia trees provide shade and the sunsets behind the distant forests surrounding the seasonal lake provide a perfect backdrop to the breathtaking scenery. Accommodation is in spacious tents where every little detail has been taken care of to ensure comfort and luxury – from luxurious linens to international cuisine that blends with the natural surroundings to maintain the spirit of Katavi. After lunch, your personal safari itinerary will be put together. Explore Katavi on your first game drive. Overnight at Katuma Bush Lodge. All meals included.

Day 3-4: Katavi Safari

Spend two full days in Tanzania’s third-largest national park, Katavi National Park. It is located in a shortened arm of the Rift Valley in the isolated southwest of the nation, and it finishes in the level, menacing expanse of Lake Rukwa. Game drives will take you into forested areas around the seasonal lakes Chada and Katavi, where the majority of wildlife, including big cats, calls home. With an armed ranger accompanying you, you will embark on a walking safari to some of the most breathtaking spots in the park, giving your customers the opportunity to experience the special, peaceful enjoyment of being a part of nature. 2 x overnight at Katuma Bush Lodge. All meals included.

Day 5: Katavi-Mahale safari

Enjoy a leisurely morning until you travel for the short, picturesque flight to Mahale Mountain National Park, which is situated on the banks of Lake Tanganyika, from Katavi Airstrip (packed lunch will be provided).

Your boat is waiting for you at Mahale Airstrip to transport you to Kungwe Zanzibar Lodge, which is situated on a lengthy stretch of golden sand Zanzibares overlooking the majestic Mahale Mountains in Lake Tanganyika.

Ten comfy and opulent tents with private bathrooms and views of Tanganyika’s pristine waters make up the camp. The camp manager is waiting for you to arrive so they can give you a briefing and talk about your personalized itinerary. You embark on your first, quick chimpanzee tracking adventure in the afternoon in the nearby forest. Overnight at Kungwe Zanzibar Lodge. All meals included.

Day 6-8: Mahale National Park 

Spend three full days exploring the Mahale Mountains at Lake Tanganyika. The primary draw at Mahale is chimpanzee tracking, which is always prioritized. The guides typically begin tracking early in the morning, beginning at the location where the chimpanzees nested the night before and continuing from there. Tracking in Mahale can take up to four hours. When there is an abundance of fruit nearby, chimpanzees will always be close by because they are fruit-loving animals. Walking on the Zanzibar, swimming, and snorkeling in Tanganyika’s crystal-clear waters are some additional activities. Additionally, knowledgeable boatmen at the camp can organize fishing excursions to Tanganyika, an angler’s paradise (boat trips at some extra cost). To gain a firsthand understanding of life in a typical African village, one can also visit nearby fishing villages. 3 x Overnight at Kungwe Zanzibar Lodge. All meals included.

Day 9: Mahale-Arusha

Spend the morning relaxing at the Zanzibar before taking a boat to the Mahale Airstrip, where you will board a shared charter flight to return to Arusha. After arriving there at approximately 17:30, return to Rivertree Country Inn Lodge to spend the night. Every meal is served.

Day 10: Departure

Proceed to Kilimanjaro Airport in order to depart or extend your stay.

Note: If you intend to travel to Zanzibar, you may be able to arrange to be dropped off in Kigoma Town for the night before taking a plane to Zanzibar the following day.