Mana Pools National Park

Mana Pools National Park is situated in the north of Zimbabwe, bordering the Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia. The Zambezi River flows from Victoria Falls into Lake Kariba, through the rift valley and on to Mana Pools, before continuing into Mozambique. Years of meandering river flow have created in Mana Pools a landscape of small oxbow lakes, grassy floodplains and sandbanks, which offer a permanent water source to an array of wildlife.

Mana Pools is home to healthy populations of elephant, buffalo, hippo and crocodile, which tend to congregate on the banks of the Zambezi River, while lion, leopard and wild dog prey on the kudu, zebra, waterbuck and impala that gather on the floodplains.

As well as 4x4 driven safaris, most lodges in Mana Pools National Park offer walking and canoeing safaris. Water-based safaris in particular offer an exhilarating way to get up close to some of the wildlife that resides in or around the water’s edge, as well as being one of the best ways to spot many of the 380 bird species that have been recorded within the park (among them, carmine bee-eaters, African fish eagle, kingfishers, cormorants, herons and storks, to name but a few).

In and around Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
Mana Pools National Park is remote. Though it is possible to drive to the park, access is nearly always by light aircraft due to the quality of the roads in and around the park.

A significant number of camps are located in the north, on the banks of the Zambezi River, where the wildlife congregates during the dry season. Safaris in Mana Pools normally include a mix of land and water-based activities, with 4x4 game drives, boat safaris and walking safaris all possible.

Motorboats are restricted to very limited sections of the park, meaning water-based safaris in Mana Pools are typically by canoe, ensuring your game-viewing is never disturbed by noisy motors!

Many lodges close during the rainy season (Dec-Apr), and parts of the park are cut-off, as the floodplains become inundated and many of the roads inaccessible. Safaris are generally conducted between May and November, though some camps do not open until June.