Tree climbing lions

By Frank Japhet - Guide, Chada Katavi

We were on a game drive with our clients, the Ritserts, on 17^th August 2010, driving beside the Katuma River in the  Miti ya Simba area, which is the beginning of the Chada Plain from Ikuu bridge.

We saw a female lion resting in the branches of a flat top acacia (Tortillis acacia). Sometimes lions in Katavi climb up the trees in order to shade themselves or to locate prey from a distance. They also may do it to escape enemies or to get away from hot ground during the dry season and enjoy the wind that is blowing at the moment. They also climb to avoid disturbance from flies, and even to getaway from biting insects such as tsetse flies.

This is the evidence that the Katavi National Park is one of the areas where you can see the lions climbing the trees. 

Amazing Fly-Camping at Chada Katavi

By Emmanuel Moshi - Guide, Chada Katavi 

Chada Camp operates a simple mobile fly camp. The experienced guides, scouts and staff make your dreams come true while you are in the bush, taking you to different remote and beautiful areas in the park. You can decide to spend more days in the fly camp, as it provides all services which may be required for the efficient movement of the camp from one location to the next. It is a stunning way of camping: a transparent tent which allows you to see a blue sky with all the stars, the bright moon the whole night, as well as the beautiful orange colour of the sunrise in the .

On the way getting there, there you have the choice of taking a short or longer walk with an armed scout into camp. Or you might choose to go for a walk from the fly camp the next morning. And each place is unique - like the location called Paradise – it’s amazing camping with hippos in the same place while hearing them grunting and at the background getting a fresh air from the palm trees when blown by the wind. 

Where ever you go, thereafter you’ll not know how the day is going to an end so the fly camping in Katavi may leave you with a different feeling for each place.

“It’s unbelievable - come and feel it in your heart”

Fish eagles catching fish in the Katuma River

By Maripet Koipa - Guide, Chada Katavi

The African Fish Eagle is one among many birds of prey founding the Katavi National Park. This bird feeds on fish weighting up to 3kg. They use their large wings as propellers for lifting the fish. They are very patient, waiting on a perch near Katuma riverbanks, waiting for any movement in the water before diving down to catch the fish using their big talons.

On the 14^th July I was leading a walk with clients from the Katuma River bridge, toward Miti ya Simba and we saw a fish eagle fishing. She dived from a perch very fast and caught a big cat fish of about 1kg and took it back to the tree and started hammering against the branch to kill it. She then began feeding on it.

The clients were very happy to see such a sighting!