Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge
Permanent safari tents · Central Katavi, overlooking the Katisunga plains · Mbali Mbali Lodges & Camps
High-end
Inside the park
Safari company
Formerly Katuma Bush Lodge, and still listed under that name on many aggregator sites as if it were a separate camp. It is one lodge, not two: Mbali Mbali confirmed that to us in writing on 2 September 2026. This is Katavi's most accessible mainstream lodge: permanent tents above the Katisunga plains, a proper main mess, and the option of night game drives at the official TANAPA rate. The main guest area was rebuilt to remove the swimming pool and add new lounge and dining space, with new thatch, decks and room furnishings, and some new family room configurations.
Pros and cons
Pros
- The most conventional, full-service lodge product in Katavi
- Twice-daily game drives plus optional official night drives
- Rates include three meals and three drinks per meal
- Pelican flotillas on seasonal lakes in front of camp
- Two family tents among ten, plus laundry included
Cons
- No swimming pool; removed when the lounge was rebuilt
- Closed March, April and May every year
- Game drives and airport transfers cost extra
- Standalone nightly rates are not published
What's here
- Restaurant
- Family rooms
- Laundry
Arranged from the lodge:
- Game drives
- Boat trips
- Night drives
- Chimpanzee treks
Read from Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge's own website in July 2026. Anything not listed we could not confirm, which is not the same as it being absent.
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. Katavi National Park charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entry$30 plus 18% VAT, charged per 24 hours.
- $35.4per person, per day
- Vehicle$40 plus VAT for a foreign-registered vehicle up to 2,000 kg; most safari 4x4s sit above that and pay $150 plus VAT. A Tanzanian-registered one is about $9.
- $47.2per vehicle, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults sharing one vehicle pay $354 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
The full fee schedule for Katavi National ParkRates at Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge
Roughly $500–690 pppn. Sold mainly inside Katavi and Mahale fly-in packages; standalone nightly rates are indicative only and not published by the lodge. Confirm directly.
What the rate covers is not confirmed. We do not know yet whether meals, drinks and activities are included, so read this as the bed only.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Indicative 2026/27 rates per person per night sharing, gathered July 2026 from operators' own sites and published trade rate sheets. Katavi camps rarely publish prices directly, so always confirm with the lodge. Watch whether a rate includes the TANAPA fees: conservation fee plus concession fee adds about $70 per person per night incl. VAT at a lodge inside the park.
Questions about Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge
Is Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge good for families?
Yes. The lodge's own site states children of all ages are welcome, and it has two family tents among its ten tents. We found no activity-based age limit on the lodge's site, so ask about game drives for very young children when you book.
What does the rate at Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge include?
Mbali Mbali's own site lists accommodation, three daily meals, three complimentary drinks per meal including water, soft drinks and beer, laundry, the Tourism Development Levy and VAT. Game drives and airport transfers cost extra. Optional night drives run at the official TANAPA rate. Confirm current park fees separately when you book.
How much does Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge cost?
Mbali Mbali does not publish a standalone nightly rate; the lodge is sold mainly inside Katavi and Mahale fly-in packages. Trade sources put it roughly at $500 to $690 per person per night, but treat that as indicative only and confirm the actual quote directly with the operator before booking.
Can you self-drive to Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge?
The record and the lodge's own site give no road route, only Ikuu airstrip, so travel here is fly-in rather than self-drive. The lodge does offer optional night game drives at the official TANAPA rate, a rare option inside Katavi. Confirm transport and transfer costs when you book.
Is Mbali Mbali Katavi Lodge the same as Katuma Bush Lodge?
Yes, they are the same property. Mbali Mbali confirmed in writing on 2 September 2026 that Katuma Bush Lodge, still listed separately on many booking sites, is this lodge under its old name. The main guest area was rebuilt since, removing the pool and adding new lounge and dining space.