In this mega-beast land creatures need a really good place to hole up, and Chada Katavi has been man's retreat for a decade, hidden on a shady spit of acacias and tamarinds on the edge of the wide Chada plain. Since we first pitched the guy ropes ten years ago - the only camp in a million wild acres - it has evolved into a rather civilized campaign HQ. Come dinnertime, the mess is nothing short of splendid, silverware and glasses shining in the lamplight.

Walking safaris take you even deeper into Katavi´s untamed world. Rare roan and sable antelope, normally skittish and shy, graze openly on these plains. On foot you experience another side of Africa, that which takes flight at the sound of approaching vehicles. The game is unbelievable with sightings of elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, crocodiles and hippo amongst many others. And then at the end of a day of adventure and discovery, you return to the creature comforts and welcoming fireside of camp.