Deep in western Tanzania, Katavi National Park remains one of the country’s true wilderness gems — remote, rarely crowded and superbly wild. Flood-plains fill in the rainy season and attract vast hippo herds, lions lounge beneath shady trees and the scent of wild earth lingers in the air. This is safari off the map. For the true adventurer, this park offers raw nature, minimal infrastructure and maximum reward for patience and curiosity. As dusk falls and hippos wallow, the air becomes thick with the kinds of sounds and shadows you’ll rarely hear in more visited parks.