Chada Katavi

Chada Katavi

Sat on the edge of Chada plain, beneath tamarind trees, Chada Katavi is a remote bush camp, offering an authentic and wild safari experience.

THE CAMP
Located in southwest Tanzania, within Katavi National Park, Chada is one of the remotest lodges there is and little frequented (not because of an absence of wildlife, but the difficulty in reaching it). Unspoilt with a rustic charm, the camp is perfectly positioned on an elevated stretch, that provides a panoramic view across the Chada plains, as herds of buffalo meander through. Shaded by a grove of acacia and tamarind trees, filled with birdlife, the tented camp lays peacefully as dappled sunlight flickers across the canvas roofs.

The communal lounge and dining areas are linked via raised decking and provide a comfortable space to take meals or sit back and relax throughout the day. With plenty of seating and side tables, you may wish to explore their well-stocked library, whilst enjoying a freshly brewed coffee, or enjoy a meal on the deck as you make the most of al fresco dining. Meals are included in the stay, starting with a buffet-style breakfast, a lighter lunch option, followed by a three-course dinner alongside other guests. 

THE ROOMS
There are just six large Meru-style safari tents, each with en-suite bathrooms and wide netted windows to help keep the rooms cool, whilst keeping insects out. Simple furnishings include handwoven rugs, a writing desk, a storage unit and camping chairs for you sit back and watch the sun go down. The bathrooms are equipped with eco flush toilets and in true safari-style – bucket showers!

WHEN TO GO
Our dry season, which runs from June through to the end of October, gets more and more intense as the temperatures rise.  As the season progresses, the river - life blood to so many of its animals - starts to dry up; the pools and watering holes fill up with pods of hippo almost stacking up on top of each other to try and get into the water.  The savanna grass is golden and the sunsets are dusty, the heat shimmers like a mirage over the plain. This is Katavi as raw and real as it can possibly be, and when Chada comes into its own.

The rains usually come mid-November and go through until early June. Katavi then undergoes a complete transformation. Almost as soon as the first rains hit the ground, everything goes green; long green and lush grasses sprout from what was just dry and cracked earth. The rivers flow again, the pools overflow and there is space for all. It's a birders paradise as all the migratory birds flock back. Grass as high as an elephant's eye, but there is still so much to see.  Chada closes for the main part of the rainy season.