Heading west delivers a safari of extraordinary contrasts. Combine the remote Katavi with the ultimate chimpanzee experience in the magical Mahale Mountains.

These are two of the most iconic parks in Africa. Katavi is about faraway, expeditionary safari experiences. Mahale takes you further off the map, to meet our chimpanzee cousins in the epic Mahale Mountains. It’s a long, long way away, but then the best places often are.

Put simply, this is the pinnacle of wilderness.

Start your journey
Greystoke

Greystoke

Chada

Chada

Expeditionary walking camp

Expeditionary walking camp

About the area

This is one of Tanzania’s most remote and untouched corners. This rugged national park is one of the best kept safari secrets of East Africa – superb game experience without the crowds. This is one of the final frontiers and very little has changed since Nomad first arrived here all those years ago.

Five hundred miles west of Arusha , this part of Tanzania offers vanishingly few tourists and unrivalled wildlife. Vast herds of buffalo roam in the shimmering heat of Katavi’s plains, as well as elephant, lion, leopard, crocodiles and hippo and rare antelope like sable and roan. Hundreds of hippo gather in limited water sources in the dry season, and aestivating crocodiles congregate in river bank caves.

Katavi

Chada sits under a shady canopy of acacia trees

Deep in the heart of Katavi, Chada overlooks the wide Chada Plains and is a hub of wildlife activity, particularly elephants in the dry season.

Our camp is a classic expeditionary camp that has stayed true to its adventurous spirit and not too much has changed since the very early days. Chada is only open for six months of the year from June to November and everyone should be clambering over themselves to get here – it really is worth it.

Life changing experiences

Katavi campsite

How we came across Katavi…

Back in the late 80’s original Nomad folk, Roland and Zoe Purcell, were flying low over a stretch of wilderness that went as far as they eye could see. They recall endless herds of buffalo and landed their plane nearby. They set up camp for the night on the edge of the great Chada Plain and from here they ventured into this unknown landscape. And the rest is history.

Recommended stay: 3 nights

Expect to pay: $825 - $1,075 per person per night

About the area

This is a chimpanzee paradise and magical place to explore. Visiting Mahale takes you off the map completely. Mahale is over 500 miles from Arusha but only a short hop from its western cousin, Katavi. Just one of the reasons these destinations combine so well.

Mahale

Welcome to the legendary Greystoke

Come on a legendary journey to meet the most privileged primates on the planet: the wild chimpanzees of Mahale and the trackers, guides and helpers who share their leafy Nirvana. In the forest’s dappled sunlight, chimpanzees romp and commune around Greystoke Mahale. At the lakeshore, on a white beach, Greystoke opens its shaggy arms, hewn from vintage dhows, proffering yet another level of pleasure to all intrepid guests.

Expect to pay: $1,070 - $2,250 per person per night

How do I combine these two safari areas?

Katavi and Mahale are spectacularly remote and well over 500kms from Arusha which makes access challenging. We operate our own shared charter flights from and back to Arusha for guests staying at Chada and/or Greystoke. We have flights operating on Mondays and Thursdays so your camp arrivals must fall on these days.

Explore safari itineraries

We tailor all our safaris to your particular requirements, but we understand that it's useful to have an idea of what works best, what’s available and a ballpark cost. Have a flick through our safari itineraries and get in touch to get the ball rolling.

Reviews

S. Sharma

Review for entamanu-private

Memorable Stay Experience

Entamanu lodge was a wonderful experience. The staff are incredibly hospitable, warm and friendly and very soft spoken and gentle. I loved their attention to detail and their thoughtfulness about individual dietary needs. They also went the extra mile by providing heating pads at night They were inc...

"F. Napier" and "S. Ashworth"

Review for greystoke

Most Magical Experience

If you have the chance to visit Greysyoke in Mahale you will remember it forever as the most magical experience. There are so many layers to the experience of staying here from the honour of witnessing the chimpanzees as they go about their daily life - lives rich with the complexities we too experi...

Camps visited:

B. Listerud

Review for entamanu

Perfect Spot for Animals

Entamanu is a perfect spot to see amazing animals and be the first ones into the crater each day. The cool environment in the high altitude is offset with plenty of heaters and fireplaces to snuggle up to. All the staff were wonderful and attended to everything we needed. It was great learning ab...

Camps visited:

M. de Araujo

Review for lamai

Top Notch Accommodations

This is our third safari in Africa and no doubt, the Nomad locations, accomodations as well as their skilled and professional staff are absolutely top notch. We could turn around and start all over again….

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