Manapools.com - Glamping + Self-Drive Zim Safaris
Mana Pools Tourism Services
- Office In:
- Size:
- 1-5 employees (Founded in 2015)
- Member Of:
- Wild Zambezi & Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA)
- Tour Types:
- Custom budget & mid-range tours that can start every day
- Destinations:
- Price Range:
- $90 to $400 per person per day (USD, excl. int'l flights)
for a custom tour
Your request will be sent directly to the operator
If preferred, you can contact the operator directly
Reviews
US
Email Susan Laughlin | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Staff support couldn't be better
My husband and I arranged a tour through Ant and Costa at the end of August 2021. I can't say enough good things about their management and attention to the details of self-drive camping. Their communication before the trip was outstanding. I had many conversations with Ant via What's App before we left and, given that the pandemic was still a factor, it was very reassuring to have an in-person talk. Ant was exceedingly honest about the situation which, as a matter of fact, was quite safe.
We got meticulous instruction in the use of the camping equipment before we left. All of it is top-notch but it is also heavy and stored on the top of the vehicle so be forewarned. Roads to the campgrounds are long and difficult. Roads in the campgrounds are VERY difficult. All this to say that if we had not hired Scott to help us with this trip we would not have been able to make it. We are older (to say the least) adults so, of course, this trip would be "easy" for young, fit people. Older travelers should not underestimate the difficulty of manipulating equipment and driving on difficult roads.
With Scott's help we had a wonderful time. I have never appreciated birds and the sounds of animals as much as on this trip. Zimbabwe's park are not as developed as other country's but that is their virtue. You can have a true African bush experience here with almost no interference from other people. Quite unique!
This company is a gem. The cost of the trip was incredibly fair. You can count on Ant and Costa to arrange something wonderful.
RO
Email Andrei Mihalca | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
5 star services!
After travelling to various African wildlife parks during the last 15 years (my hobby is wildlife photography), certainly the trip to Mana Pools was among the most exciting. And this, not only because of the place, which is indeed magical, but also because of our great host, Ant Bown! His hints, suggested itinerary, cosy lodge and very friendly personnel made our experience just perfect. Highly highly recommended!
Email Frank af Petersens | 65+ years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Very professional
We rented a 4x4 for 9 days to go to Mana Pools and other places with equally bad roads. Since we would be in places with no cell phone connection, it was important to have a totally reliable vehicle, with a basic tool kit to handle minor problems. Manapools.com rented us a perfectly maintained car, with good tyres, extra jerrycans of fuel and a tank of drinking water for emergency use. We had no problems at all, and returned a very dusty car after a lovely time in Zimbabwe. The staff were extremely efficient, professional and very friendly. We will definitely rent from them again.
Email Kevin Lorenz | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Great service
Ant and his team did a great job. The trucks were in great condition.
Email Rowan Gormley | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
The best choice for an Arrive and Drive self drive safari in Zim
As first time zim visitors, we chose manapools.com because they don't just rent you the car, they provide a complete service. You are met at the airport, get the use of a comfortable lodge in harare, they buy your groceries for you...but best of all they book the BEST campsites for you in all the hard to get locations. Their itinerary planning was spot on, all the recommendations about which guides to use, where to eat, where to stay etc were spot on. The staff are delightful and very efficient, vehicles were reliable, clean and very well equipped. High recommendation
NL
Email Marian Schenk | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
The one and only to book through!
Ant, Mana Pools.com, don’t think for you, they think with you! Our very first phone call was a hit. When we explained what we were planning Ant took it all in and came back with exactly what we were looking for - a trip of 10 days with no hassle. His suggestion of itinerary, seeing as we only had 10 days was perfect, and that we could arrange a driver/guide through ManaPools was the best thing ever!
We had the trip of a lifetime, never to forget. And all mishaps, very few, were taken care of very professionally.
Absolute value for money! The price for the fully equipped Pajero, compared to the price of only a 4x4, is fantastic, and the car was is perfect condition. One tip, we would advise the land cruiser as with the pajero it can be a bit of a shell having to get the crates from and onto the rooftop.
The trip itself, as said before, never to forget, absolutely fantastic, also thank to Scott, our driver/ guide.
We will be back and will not hesitate to book with ManaPools. com and we highly recommend that all other travelers search no further! This is the company to book through!
Incredible. Honest. Trustworthy.
Such a fantastic experience with a seriously nice set of guys in the ManaPools.com team.
With fast changing plans, they were amazingly supportive and made the trip smooth.
The pick up and drop off service was easy, and the quality of the vehicles is outstanding. We had some really tough drives and the car was amazing.
SG
Email Mann Family | 35-50 years of age | Experience level: 2-5 safaris
Amazing family vacation in Mana Pools
We had an amazing experience visiting Mana Pools as a family of 5 (9, 11, 13 and parents) in May / June 2023. From the outset Ant was really engaging and handled all our questions and concerns with patience and enthusiasm. As this was our first trip of this kind as a family it was reassuring to rely on Ant's experience to prepare all the logistics, provisioning, campsite bookings, etc, and he made sure to structure an itinerary that gave us the best of Mana Pools while still being suitable for our family (i.e. not Chitake Springs). We took the big Land Cruiser with trailer, which were very well equipped for our 5 nights and along with the ground tents provided plenty of space for us all. The seating arrangements in the vehicle worked really well, ensuring that everyone had their own space for the long drive, and the camping equipment including mattresses allowed us all to sleep as comfortably as the noise from our hippopotamus neighbours allowed! The pre-prepared meals were excellent, and all around everything was more luxurious than we had prepared ourselves for (but bear in mind this is still camping).
The campsites Ant had booked for us were stunning, located right on the banks of the Zambezi - 3 nights at the main campsite at Nyamepi followed by 2 nights at an exclusive site. Ant had clearly understood what we wanted and made sure we had a great experience.
Ant also introduced and arranged a driver (Beaven), who looked after us in camp, made delicious meals and provided great company, in addition to taking care of the long drives to and from Harare. When there was the occasional issue it was great to have someone experienced to rely on to fix things, and Beaven's reassuring presence ensured that we could remain in holiday mode. During the days we took the vehicle out with a ranger from NParks who also guided us on our walks - we arranged this once on site but again with Beaven's guidance and local knowledge of how things work.
When we started looking into this trip we were dismayed by the costs of the lodges and thought we would not be able to make it. By going with Ant and manapools.com we were able to access the amazing Mana Pools experience, with the added benefit of being able to customise every aspect of our trip and stay at an affordable cost. For anyone considering a visit to Mana Pools who is happy with being self sufficient, I would not hesitate to recommend manapools.com.
IT
Email Karin | 50-65 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
We experienced manapools.com as a very reliable, competent and flexible company.
We spent a great time in Zimbabwe, which we owe to a beautiful country, affectionate people and of course the excelent organisation from Ant and his team of Manapools.com. A few weeks before we started I could clarify quite some questions concerning the planning via phonecall(whatsapp) and Ant really tried his best to find good solutions for every request. Staying at Sunbird Guesthouse in Harare we enjoyed the time very much as everyone tried to let us feel like home. We then hired two 4x4 cars with rooftents that were ideal for our roundtrip to Matopos, Lake Kariba, Chizarira NP and Manapools. The campsites at Manapools and Chizarira were perfectly prebooked by Ant, as it was impossible to do so from abroad, and all worked out very well. Knowing to be able to contact the company at any time, if there were problems, we could really relax and enjoy the stay.
I can highly recommend Manapools.com to organize a trip to, despite some challenges, a beautiful country with great people. "Tatenda" to Ant and his team!
DE
Email Simone | 20-35 years of age | Experience level: over 5 safaris
Amazing
Good travel agency for selfdrive-safaris. The cars are good, the staff is helpfull and the price is good.
Everything was perfect.
