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Katavi and Sumbawanga
The town of Sumbawanga has Katavi National Park to the North and the remote Lake Rukwa game reserve to the east. The area is seldom visited by tourists and is reachable only on longer vehicle safaris, or flying safaris.
- Big game, birding and culture:Excellent
- Best time to visit Katavi: May – October
- How to get to Katavi: Fly or drive
Sumbawanga is the capital of Rukwa region located in western Tanzania. The name Sumbawanga translates as ‘throw away your witch crafts’ in Fipa language and superstition is still strong in the area.
Katavi National park is the closest tourist destination to Sumbawanga which is also easily accessible by road. It is the third largest park in Tanzania. It contains Lakes Chanda and Katavi which are home to spectacular concentrations of hippo. Around 450 species of birds have been seen in the area.