Roughing it through Ruaha and Katavi sep. 2014

[Africalover]

@ wilddog. Thank you.

 

I did this safari , only together with my friend and guide Otto. The good thing about Ruaha and Katavi is that you have the possebility to camp really wild without anybody around. In fact in Katavi and Selous you can pitch up your tent where you want. There are not many places left with big game in Africa, where you can do that. In Ruaha there are special campsites.

[FlyTraveler]

@ Otto.. The bushbaby

Hello my friend, great to see you on safari talk. Yes we had indeed a fantastic trip.

 

@ Fly Traveler

Yes Ruaha is fantastic and I will be back, camping again. You should try that, Otto can arrange that, at a very good price :-)

I am looking foreward to read your TR.

 

Otto refered to an evening comming back from a gamedrive. A troop of baboons had invaded the camp, lucky for us they had not touched anything in camp. We were collecting firewood, when suddenly all hell broke loose, most of the troop ran towards Otto with a lot of noice, before retreat. Otto just smileyed.image.jpg

 

I will continue with more from Katavi soon.

 

Thanks @@Africalover. I am not as brave as you are plus Mrs. FlyTraveler would like to have en-suite toilet. I am sure that camping is totally amazing, though.

[Africalover]

@ FlyTraveler - it is posseble to bushcamp using bigger tents with en-suite toilet. , many ST does it :-)

 

As already mentioned, it was a long and tough trip from Ruaha to Katavi by road. I wonder what will happen to Katavi when the tar road is finish in a couple of years. There are to dirt roads going through the park, one right through the main wildlife area. Nobody checks you, as there are no gate, as in other parks. It is very easy for poachers to enter the park, as busses and trucks drives through all day long, even after dark. Although far less than in Mikumi. We drove through the park after dark which can be dangerous. We saw buffaloes crossing in front of the car. When we arrived, be stayed in the cabins at the headquarter in Sitalike. We were hungry after the long drive from Mbeya ( 12 hours ). The staff vere very kind and made some food fore us. Kongoni stew with rice - very nice. Meat came from huntingareas adjacent to Katavi. The next day we went to the headquarter, which is not very busy, in fact we vere the only one. They had to call the boss to take care of our entry permit. We payed for special campsite, but there are none, so we camped where we wanted.

 

I stayed around Katuma river and Lake Chada. Animals are concentrated around Katuma river between Lake Chada and Katisunga. A lot of the plainsgame are on the dry lakes far away for any good pictures. There are a lot of zebra, topi, buffalo,reedbuck, ect.

 

We went to Paradise but did'nt camp. It was a beautyful trip. Lots of zebra, topi, ect. We found a very dry pool with hippos struggeling to survive.

 

Hippos and croc at Katuma river

 

 

Mom and aunt has left us for hunting.

 

Here is mom and aunt.

 

Lions feeding on a buffalo at Katisunga.

 

 

Here os one opportunistic suicidel hyena.

 

 

 

 

Wonderful morning with lions finished, next wonderful afternoon with leopardess.

[Game Warden]

This really looks like a great adventure!

[Africalover]

@ Game Warden.

Yes , it was a great adventure, some great sightings, wonderful landscapes and new pIaces ( Katavi ). It was rough and tough at times and my nervous system was challenged several times. My brain was reset, to gain power to cope with all the modern worlds problems :-) To me that is what safari is all about.

[FlyTraveler]

@@Africalover, thanks for the advice about camping with larger tents with en-suite toilet. This is a great idea, as far as budget will allow it.

 

Great lion shots!

 

Katavi looks wilder than Ruaha. Besides this how would you compare both parks in terms of wildlife viewing and scenery?

Edited October 15, 2014 by FlyTraveler

[Treepol]

@@Africalover thanks for the update on Katavi a little visited park. Great lion actio and I liked the photo of the cubs.

 

Were the cabins at Sitalike en suite or more basic? Can you give a bit of detail about the cabins please?

[Africalover]

@@FlyTraveler.

 

Both parks are amazing. Ruaha is much bigger in terms of productive areas with big game. The most productive area in Katavi - although I did'nt go to Lake Katavi - is not as wild as I imagined before I went there. Unless you drive towards Lake Paradise which is very remote and beautyful , but limited gamedrive roads. Or around Katisunga and Lake Chada, but wildlife is on the pans, and often far away. Certain parts of Ruaha feels as remote as Katavi. I think scenery is more diverse in Ruaha. I am not sure I want to drive to Katavi again, it was a looooong, rough and tough journey. But I really loved it there, especially the possebility to camp where you want.

 

@@Treepol.

The cabins are one big room with a double bed and a separate bathroom, only cold water. I think I paid 40$ for one night. For me it was fine. Although I can't recommend to stay there more than one night, as a stop over before entering the park,the

productive areas are to far away. Katavi is definetly a camping or lodge inside the park destination.

 

I had the privelege to be a part of this young female leopards life, one afternoon. We were waiting for here to get down the tree. We waited 2,5 hours. Finally she came down and we were alone with here. I still get goosebumbs :-)

 

 

Not good but funny.

 

Thank you for watching, need I say I loved her:-)

 

Finish.

[Treepol]

@@Africalover thanks for the informaton about the cabins.

 

This last leopard sequence tells the story of your long but worthwhile wait - the last photo is priceless, it shouts 'happy leopard having fun'.

[twaffle]

I really enjoyed this adventure, thank you!

[Marks]

@@Africalover Sorry I missed this report until now! You have many lovely photos, particularly of leopard. And your whole trip sounds very adventurous. I must say that the 4th photo in post #9 is my favorite so far (the hippos) - a very good angle and pleasing to the eye.

[TonyQ]

@@Africalover

A real adventure!

Lots of great pictures throughout - but the leopard is so beautiful. The shot of her rolling on the track enjoying herslf reminds me so much of my cats!

[michael-ibk]

A perfect finish with that beautiful leopardess!

 

A wonderful adventure and report which I very much enjoyed, thank you for sharing!

[Peter Connan]

Great TR of a great trip, illustrated with wonderful photos! Thank you.

[Hads]

Africa lover now that is what I call a real safari, great photos up close and personal.could you tell me what Otto charges for a trip like this? Thanks again for a super trip report

[cheetah80]

@@Africalover What an awesome trip - exactly the way I like it!! :-) I am very tempted to self-drive there someday - but this would be another good option, especially for the first time. You had some brilliant sightings, loved the photos. Thanks so much for sharing!

[gagan]

Hmm nice pics ...this is great time for ruaha ...dry summer with little rain ...also very very less crowded ruaha can be rewarding this time of the year....try udzungwa and selous.next time...

[Africalover]

@@cheetah 80 I am especially glad that you liked my TR and my adventure, since I read all your wonderful TR and enjoyed your pics. I admire the way you do safaries in Africa - and I want to do a selfdrive some day.

In Ruaha, Selous and Katavi you really have the possebility to camp wild, if you selfdrive. There are not many places left with big game where you can camp wild, without a touroperator.

 

Cheers.

 

Michael.

[pault]

@@Africalover I missed the Katavi part of your report in October. Really enjoyed it and great that you got out there - what a long trip it must be.

[Africalover]

@@pault - yes it was hard to get there, but worth the effort. Soon it will be more easy to get there - the tar road will unfortunatly soon bee finished.

 

@@Hads - Otto is a good friend af mine and runs a small safaribusiness , nothing fancy but it works.

I have done several safaries with him, and allways had a great time. I think you can do a safari with him for 375$ Pppn, if alone and 275$ Pppn, if 2 or more, all incluse. Its very difficult to find it cheaper and he is a fantastic guide and person.

You can find him on facebook - Otto Mlanda.

 

Cheers.

[dlo]

@@Africalover

 

Thanks for steering me towards this. Looks fantastic and really brings back fond memories of my first couple of trips to Africa. I've made it as far as Udzungwa and Mikumi so I think Ruaha will have to be soon. I remember an elephant brushing against my tent one night, he froze, I froze, I thought that was it and then he went on eating! Nothing makes you fell more alive than various animals outside your tent. Your trip looked great and it's something I would definitely like to do in the future.

[Africalover]

@@dlo - Thanks. Otto is especially good in Selous and Ruaha. He has been working with siencetist from Frankfurt zoo on lions in Selous.I recommend you bushcamping in Ruaha at Mwagusi river, Mbagi special campsite or at the banks of Lake Manze in Selous. I does'nt get more wild. Maybe Katavi.

Cheers.

[GBE]

@@Africalover - This is exactly the sort of trip we want to incorporate in the future. This is especially true for our next trip to Katavi. Thank you for the inspiration and a trip report I can point to when interviewing guides.

[tonypark]

Africalover this is brilliant - great pics. My wife and I and two friends are self driving from South Africa to Tanzania in August/September and plan to visit both these parks. Your pics are a great inspiration for us.

[Africalover]

@@GBE @@tonypark : Thank you for your kind comments. It was truely an epic trip for me. I hope you make it there.

Cheers.

Michael.