A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the finest walking safari destination in Southern Africa.
Enquire About Mana PoolsMana Pools is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, for walking safari enthusiasts, arguably the finest park in Africa. The park sits on the southern bank of the Zambezi River, where the water has left behind a wide, fertile floodplain studded with mahogany, fig and apple-ring acacia trees. In the dry season the floodplain dries, the animals concentrate and the walking season begins.
Mana Pools is the only park in the region where visitors can walk unguided. That freedom, combined with the density of game on the floodplain, the intimacy of approaching animals on foot and the sound of the Zambezi at night, creates an atmosphere that no amount of description quite captures. Most visitors choose guided walks for the added depth and safety, but the principle sets the park apart.
Canoe safaris on the Zambezi are equally compelling: paddling past hippo pods, crocodiles and elephant families wading between the islands, with the Zambian escarpment on the far bank. The Lower Zambezi sits directly opposite on the Zambian side, and multi-day canoe trips travel between the two.
Wild dog are a particular draw, and Mana Pools is one of the most reliable parks in Africa to find packs. The dry-season concentration of prey animals draws them to the floodplain, and sightings can be prolonged and dramatic.
Elephant are the constant, in relaxed family herds that move through the camp at night and stand beneath the trees by day, rearing up on their hind legs to reach the apple-ring pods above. It is a scene associated with Mana Pools above all other parks.
Wild dog are the predator highlight, with resident packs that hunt the floodplain in the dry season. Lion and leopard are both present, hyaena common, and the proximity of water and thick riverine cover makes predator viewing rewarding.
The Zambezi holds dense hippo and large crocodile, and the birdlife along the river is strong, with African skimmer, carmine bee-eater in season and a long list of water birds easily seen from a canoe.
August to October is the prime window, when the floodplain is dry and game is most concentrated. October is very hot but produces the best wildlife density. The canoe season follows the same window.
May to July is a good shoulder period, cooler and with improving walking as the floodplain dries. The park closes from around November to April when the Zambezi floods the approaches and access becomes very difficult.
Private, small camps in prime positions on the floodplain, offering guided walks, canoe safaris and nights with the sounds of the Zambezi as the only disturbance.
Well-established camps combining excellent walking guides with canoe trips, private tents and strong wild dog tracking records.
Specialist walking and canoe camps that place the activity, not the accommodation, at the centre of the Mana Pools experience.
A long-running camp with a strong walking reputation, good wild dog tracking and an accessible price for the standard.
The national parks campsites at Nyamepi offer budget, self-catering access to Mana Pools and its unguided walking for those who are properly experienced and equipped.
Mana Pools offers angles unavailable almost anywhere else: elephants standing on their hind legs against mahogany canopy, the chaos of a wild dog hunt in open country and canoe-level views of hippo and crocodile. The open floodplain and the clear Zambezi light reward both wide-angle and telephoto work.
Mana Pools suits experienced safari-goers who want something more active than a game drive. The walking requires a degree of comfort with proximity to big game, and the heat in October is serious. It is not a beginner destination, but for those ready for it, it is hard to match.
Mana Pools lies in the Zambezi Valley in northern Zimbabwe, reached by charter aircraft from Harare or Kariba to the camp airstrips, or by a long road drive from Harare. Most guests fly in.
We arrange every detail, from the right camp to flights and transfers. Tell us your dates and we will do the rest.
Plan My Safari WhatsApp UsYes, Mana Pools is the only park in the region where unguided walking is permitted. Most visitors sensibly choose guided walks for the depth of interpretation and the additional safety, but the principle sets the park apart.
Among the best anywhere. Resident packs hunt the floodplain and the dry-season concentration of game makes sightings frequent and often prolonged.
Approximately May to October, when the floodplain is accessible. The park closes when the Zambezi rises and floods the approach roads, roughly November to April.
By charter aircraft from Harare or Kariba to the camp airstrips, which is the standard and most practical option.
Yes, with an experienced guide. Canoe trips on the Zambezi are guided and the guides know the channels, hippo behaviour and crocodile habits. It is a very different but very safe activity when properly managed.
Yes. They face each other across the Zambezi. Multi-day canoe trips sometimes cross between the two, and a Zimbabwe-Zambia Zambezi circuit is possible for those with time.
Tell us roughly when you would like to travel and what you most want to see. Every enquiry is answered personally by Jarryd, a former Sabi Sands guide and Head Ranger at andBeyond Phinda, usually within 24 hours. No set packages, no booking fees.
