Remote & Wild Western Tanzania Itinerary

Fly from Arusha or another Northern Tanzania safari airstrip to Katavi Airstrip. The flight from Arusha to Katavi takes approximately four hours, and you will stop at Tabora Airport to refuel. The last half of the flight offers beautiful views of some of the least developed terrain in Tanzania; the flight exposes how remote these locations truly are. Land at Katavi Airstrip and meet your safari guide. After completing gate formalities, depart on a game drive as you make your way to Chada Katavi.

Due to its remote location and the expense incurred to reach the park, Katavi National Park is seldom visited by tourists. It is home to large herds of Cape buffalo, zebra, giraffe and elephant. A central feature of the park is the Katuma River, which is home to large hippo pods. During the dry season when the river all but dries out, hippos engage in brutal, and oftentimes bloody, battles for river territory. This is a prime time to visit the park.

Full days of game drives in Katavi National Park. Game highlights include elephant, giraffe, buffalo, and zebra. The ecosystem of Katavi features the Katuma River and the seasonal Lake Chada and Lake Katavi floodplains. Crocodiles and hippos are prevalent in the Katuma River, and during the dry season, hundreds of hippos congregate in pockets of water along the river.

Spend another full day in Katavi National Park.

After breakfast, go on a final game drive before making your way back to the airstrip. Take a short flight over the Mahale Mountains to Lake Tanganyika, where you will land on the shore. Meet a boat which will transport you for the next 90 minutes or so, over the transparent waters of Lake Tanganyika.

Lake Tanganyika is the world's longest freshwater lake and also its second deepest, second in volume, and second oldest. It accounts for 16% of the world's fresh water. The lake holds more than 250 species of cichlid fish, 98% of which are endemic to the lake.

The lake is also home to many hippos, and you will see them walking along the bottom of the lake during your boat excurions. After the boat ride, arrive at Greystoke Mahale, one of the most iconic safari properties in Tanzania. The dining area is situated directly on the beach, with a stunning backdrop of Mahale's densely forested mountains. Spend the next four days and nights at Greystoke Mahale.

Spend the next three days exploring Mahale Mountains National Park and Lake Tanganyika. Go out on daily chimp treks, spending an hour each day observing the behavior of human's closest relative. Daily fishing and kayaking trips, walks, and beach excursions are all part of the Mahale experience. Overnight at Greystoke Mahale.

Spend another full day in Mahale Mountains National Park.

Spend another full day in the Mahale Mountains.

Take the boat back to Mahale Airstrip and bid fond farewells to your boat captain. Depart on a five hour flight back to Arusha, stopping to refuel along the way.