Mana Pools National Park

Great Wild Experience

I visited Mana Pools in 1999 and Loved it! It was my last trip before leaving Zimbabwe after spending a semester there over the previous 4 months. When I was there it was the only national park in Zimbabwe that A) had big game, and B) allowed you to move around on foot. I did not feel comfortable walking around the bush though, a decision I stand by with all the wildlife I saw!

My first experience there was a close encounter with a baboon as I unloaded my groceries from my vehicle - the baboon grabbed a bag and took off! I was warned by travelers in the adjacent campsite that it is important to bring "zip straps" to "lock" your tent zippers so baboons can't steal your gear and food while you're away from your site.

I also saw an elephant walk through the camp ground, hyenas outside our tent at night, and later, while driving, had a beautiful view of a mother and baby elephant walking together across the road.

Overall it was one of the most exciting camping trips I have ever been on (the fact that I slept in a tent, while most visitors used campers/RVs/caravans, surely added to the adrenaline rush). And I am making that assessment after visiting Hwange, Gonarezhou, Malilangwe (private game reserve), Chimanimani, Matopos, Vic Falls, and other sites around the country.

Magical Mana

Mana Pools is my favourite wildlife park in Africa. It is one of the few places in Southern Africa where one can still experience the 'old' Africa. The setting next to the mighty Zambezi is spectacular. The daily visit by elephant and Cape buffalo in camp and by predators at night is unrivalled. The bird life is varied and birding is excellent.

the river explains it all.

Highlight of the country, without a doubt. Stunning river scenery and unparalleled wildlife, with the best canoe safari guides in the world at Natureways. Hands-on safari, with tent set-up and paddling, but plenty of time to relax and take photos. Food was too good--we gained weight!! Would recommended above all else.

Unique - where else can you walk amongst the wildlife in a National Park/UNESCO World Heritage site

I have been fortunate to visit Mana Pools on an almost annual basis over the last 12 years (I am now the Mana Pools 'Destination Expert' on Tripadvisor).

It is a magical place - a series of pools, where the Zambezi river once flowed. These pools retain water all year around, so along with the Zambezi, provide a vital resource for animals from far and wide during the long, hot dry season (August - October). We always visit in October - the end of the dry season and nicknamed the 'suicide' month for good reason. It is blisteringly hot, and Mana is not a comfortable place to be at this time of year. But the reward for this discomfort is in the game viewing. Animal numbers are at their peak and they are easy to see due to the lack of vegetation.

On my trips, I have always seen elephant (Mana is the only place I know of where they have learnt to stand on their rear legs to reach up a little higher to graze the Accacia Albida trees which are so characteristic of Mana), hippo, crocodile, kudu, eland, monitor lizard, mongeese of various types, baboons, zebra, vervet monkeys, cape buffalo, impala, hyena, lion & jackal. Most of these have at one time or another walked right through our camp! We have also been fortunate to see on most visits the rare African Painted Dog - Mana is one of the few places in Africa where you stand a good chance of seeing these wonderful animals. We have also had a number of wonderful 'one-off' sightings over the years - leopard, python nyala, bush buck and last year, three cheetah on an impala kill. A very rare sighting as Mana lacks wide open spaces and so is not really cheetah country at all. All of the animals I mention have been seen without the aid of professional guides - we are just a group of friends who enjoy visiting the African bush. Most of the time we walk rather than drive - after viewing wildlife on foot, the experience from the back of a vehicle just isn't the same.

In addition to the animals mentioned, Mana is a 'birding' paradise - so many species to see I couldn't begin to list them, but a personal favourite of mine are the noisy carmine bee beaters who nest in burrows in the sandy river banks.

In the unlikely event you grow tired of looking at animals, the scenery is fantastic - the almost parkland-like abandoned river terraces, the majestic Zambezi and the hazy mountains of Zambia. Always try to be on the river bank just before sunset, a beer or G&T in hand and just watch & listen!

Mana is not the easiest place in the world to get too, but there are a number of safari operators who will take the logistical strain on your behalf, and if you don't want to 'go it alone' and use National Parks camping (or lodge) facilities, there are a number of very good camps (one or two permanent, like Ruckomechi, others seasonal, like Goliath Safaris who have their camp inside the National Park and are run by the wonderful Stretch & Flo)

Mana Pools - Heaven on Earth

I have stayed in Mana Pools many times and each time I don't want to leave. This trip was a 3 night, 4 day backed up canoe trip, which took us along the national park shoreline on the Zambezi river.

Each morning we would set off just before sunrise, when the river was as calm as glass and all the birds were starting to wake. We would paddle until around 8am and then stop for a cooked breakfast on either an island or on the shoreline while watching old duggar buffalo bulls come down to the water to drink, or a herd of elephants swimming across the channels to get to the islands where the sweet nutritious vegetation awaited them.

After breakfast we were back on the water and as the heat of the day increased, we paddled past large numbers of antelope, elephant, buffalo and hippo all at the waters edge. We were even lucky enough to see wild dog and lion. The bird life was teaming and we pasted large colonies of Carmine Bee-eaters nesting in the banks of the river. After our lunch stop, we spent the heat of the day resting under Acacia trees watching baby elephants playing in the shallow waters while their mothers waded into the deeper water to reach the water lillies to feed on.

Mid afternoon we were back on the water and just before sunset, we arrived at our new camp site which was already set up. Drinks would be waiting for us, a hot water shower ready and a lovely 3 course meal.

General Information:

Transportation
Tour operators will arrange road transfers from Kariba or Harare if required.
They can also arrange air charters from anywhere within Zimbabwe.
You can self drive in, the road is corrugated but a 2x4 will suffice, although the car hire companies will not allow you to take their vehicles off road, if they find out.

Weather
Mana pools is normally closed from the beginning of November until the end of March due to the rains and the road conditions.

May, June, July and abit of August is winter and it gets cold in the evening, but the days are beautifully clear with temperatures normally reach the mid to late 20 Celsius.

August, September and October are very hot and dry months with temperatures reaching anywhere from 40 to 50 Celsius. The concentration of game is at it’s best as everything comes to the water.

Accommodation
There are two upmarket fixed safari lodges within the park.

There are also various tour operators that operate semi permanent camps and trips throughout the season. They will provide everything you need from food through to towels.

There is also one or two tour operators that offer the canoeing safaris and again they provide everything.

National parks offer self catering lodges, a communal camp site with operating ablutions or a couple of exclusive camp sites for anyone that prefers to independently travel. You will need to bring everything with you from tents through to food.

Scenery and Wildlife
Mana Pools is a speculator UNESCO site. It has wide open flood plains that go down to the Zambezi river and overlook the mountains of Zambia in the distance. Mana Pools is the only national park in Zimbabwe that allows people to walk unaccompanied. There are large numbers of animals there and years gone by, you were able to see the big five. Unfortunately there are no more rhino’s there now, but they have a large population of wild dog (African Painted Dog) and you will see lion and leopard. The elephants of Mana Pools are renowned for standing on their hind legs to reach leaves high up in the trees.

Final Word
Mana Pools is a place like no other, it nourishes your soul.

Mana Magic!

Mana Pools is one Africa's most magical wilderness areas. It is a United Nations World Heritage Site for good reason. Here the Zambezi river gives life to an incredible diversity of flora and fauna, all of which rely on one another to maintain a healthy and diverse ecosystem. The tall Acacia albida trees that line the river provide much needed shade from the hot sun and their apple ring shaped pods, rich in protein, are highly sought after by elephants, who will even stand on their hind legs to reach them, a truly amazing site to behold! Wild dogs exist here in large packs, lions and leopards are abundant as are big herds of buffalo. The river is home to an incredible density of hippos that create a cacophony of sound, which lulls you to sleep at night a midst the haunting laugh of the spotted hyenas. Mana Pools is typically only accessible during the dry months of the year i.e. April to October. It is possible to get in by air, road and also on the river. Zimbabwean air charter companies have light aircraft that can access Mana Main, Dandawa or Chikwenya airstrips all within the vicinity of the national park. There is a dirt road into Mana Pools from the main Makuti-Chirundu tar road. Depending on whether this has been graded or not will determine how long this section takes. If it has not been graded for a while then the trip can take up to 4 hours due to severe corrugations. It is advisable to travel this road in a 4x4. There are only one or two companies that offer road transfers. Most people that drive in are self drivers. It is possible to canoe the river with a reputable canoeing company. Trips range from a few days up to nearly two weeks and this is determined by the stretch of river you run between Kariba dam wall and Kanyemba. A popular stretch is the 4 day, 3 night canoe trip from Chirundu to Mana Pools. Mana Pools is in a remote area of the country, which has meant that it has remained pristine, adding to its already renowned fame for excellent game viewing. A visit to this park is a must for any African wildlife lover.

Mana Magic

Mana Poolsis is one of the most interesting and wonderful reserves in Southern Africa. I have now been 3 times and each time has been magical in it own way. Mana Pools is not easy to get too, it is a 4 hour drive from Harare, if you have to take everything you need with you and unless you are staying in private camp the accommodation is basic, but adequate. However all these things add to the charm on Mana. It is also one of the few reserves you are able to walk around without a guide. This is an amazing experience, if you feel up to doing this and are careful. To me it is not only one of the best reservesit is my favourite place in the world!

Very scenic, diversity of wildlife in a fantastic setting, good guides

The Garden of Eden is in Africa

I spent four nights at Mana Pools, in a tented camp overlooking the Zambezi River. During the day we had wild elephants roaming amongst the tents and down on the river flats. Sometimes they swam to mid-stream islands for better grazing. Impala, waterbuck and other smaller gazelles wandered in herds through the bush. At night you could hear the lions roar as they called to each other. Huge herds of buffalo emerged from the bush to drink at the water's edge. And of course the hippos wallowed in the river, or dragged themselves out to graze on the soft grass of the floodplain. All is as one, here in this Garden of Eden.

Sunsets over the river were each unique and beautiful, perfect for sundowners. Just outside the Park you could do night safaris: we saw a lion stalking a herd of buffalo, only to be chased off. One night we came across a male lion on the track. From a handful of metres away we watched as he lowered his chest to the ground and let out a series of roars that took our breath away.

During the heat of the day, in camp, you could sit and waste a lazy couple of hours watching the animals wander by the river on a scene that feels older than time. Everyone should go at least once to Mana Pools. And after you've been once you will want to go again.