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Mana Pools is about as wild as it gets – particularly as you are allowed to walk here. It never feels very busy, as long as you avoid southern African school holidays. Mana Pools is one of the most beautiful reserves in all of Africa, with its mighty Zambezi River frontage, the eponymous pools and the hauntingly photogenic glades of large riverine trees. Add to this beautiful scene groups of elephant moving through the sunlit forest. If you’re really lucky, you might also see one of the old bulls standing on his hind legs to reach the branches of the trees to eat. It is thought there are just a handful of bulls who have learnt this trick. I have also always been lucky with wild dogs here – though somewhat frustratingly, each time they have materialised on the last hour of the very last game drive.
Wild Adventures in a Land of Giants
Mana Pools, a pristine wilderness larger than Surrey, became a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1988. The mile-wide Zambezi runs along its northern border, forming a natural barrier between Zimbabwe and Zambia. Back in camp at the end of the day you can sit with a sundowner and watch the sky change color from apple green to burning orange behind the 4000ft contours of the escarpment on the Zambian side of the river. No wonder many visitors consider this park to be the most beautiful in Africa.
Mana means ‘four’ in the local Shona language and refers to a quartet of oxbow lagoons created by the river’s former meanderings, but the park’s greatest glories are the open woodlands that grow at the edge of the floodplains. Here, all around, giant trees reach for the light: sausage trees, massive strangler figs and groves of evergreen Natal mahoganies. But most impressive of all are the majestic glades of winter thorns.
Arching overhead like the tracery of a medieval
The elephants like to hang out in the jesse – the dense scrub that blankets the park’s hinterland. But during the day as the heat builds up there is a general movement toward the woodlands. First come the breeding herds and then the solitary bulls, lured by the opportunity to feast on the winter thorns’ nutritious seedpods. Then, with luck, you might meet some of the best-known individuals, such as Boswell, who has learned to stand on his hind legs to pluck the choicest pods with his trunk.
Although the Zambezi Valley has lost all its black rhinos and large numbers of elephants to the poachers, it is still in good shape, with a choice of genuine bush camps such as Ruckomechi (ideal for canoe trips on the Zambezi) and Vundu Camp.
Mana means ‘four’ in the local Shona language and refers to a quartet of oxbow lagoons created by the river’s former meanderings, but the park’s greatest glories are the open woodlands that grow at the edge of the floodplains. Here, all around, giant trees reach for the light: sausage trees, massive strangler figs and groves of evergreen Natal mahoganies. But most impressive of all are the majestic glades of winter thorns.
Arching overhead like the tracery of a medieval
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cathedral, their interlocking branches create endless aisles of dappled shade beneath which, in the company of legendary walking guides such as Stretch Ferreira, you can go looking for lions and wild dogs or close encounters with the park’s big tuskers.The elephants like to hang out in the jesse – the dense scrub that blankets the park’s hinterland. But during the day as the heat builds up there is a general movement toward the woodlands. First come the breeding herds and then the solitary bulls, lured by the opportunity to feast on the winter thorns’ nutritious seedpods. Then, with luck, you might meet some of the best-known individuals, such as Boswell, who has learned to stand on his hind legs to pluck the choicest pods with his trunk.
Although the Zambezi Valley has lost all its black rhinos and large numbers of elephants to the poachers, it is still in good shape, with a choice of genuine bush camps such as Ruckomechi (ideal for canoe trips on the Zambezi) and Vundu Camp.
Chilled-Out Tuskers
I have stayed in both luxury accommodations and basic tented camps alongside the great Zambezi River in the Unesco World Heritage Mana Pools National Park, and have come to the conclusion that both have their merits.
Of course, if staying in an upmarket lodge, one can expect scrumptious food, fantastic guided game drives and hikes. The rooms/glamping tents are beautiful, and wildlife often saunters past your mosquito-screened windows.
If camping, expect to be thrilled, especially at night when the big game can and typically does hang around your fragile domicile.
I recall one evening not sleeping a wink because I had been stupid enough to erect my tent beneath the shade of a tree, the fruits of which, I discovered, much to my chagrin, were the favored food of elephants and hippos. They munched, belched and farted, and broke branches throughout the night, and just when I thought I might be able to sleep through some of it, a huge tusker started headbutting
Mana Pools is a beautiful park. There are riverside forests and open plains too, as well as the river and a series of small lakes (after which the park is named).
You’ll likely see lions and hyenas (sometimes right next to your accommodation) as well as the usual safari staples. Wild dogs are commonly seen. But for me, the stars of the Mana Pools show are the big bull elephants that are super chilled and unconcerned with humans (even if you are on foot).
Some of them have picked up the habit of rising up on their back legs (like a circus performing elephant) to reach leaf-laden branches, the spoils from which they will often share with their ladies.
Of course, if staying in an upmarket lodge, one can expect scrumptious food, fantastic guided game drives and hikes. The rooms/glamping tents are beautiful, and wildlife often saunters past your mosquito-screened windows.
If camping, expect to be thrilled, especially at night when the big game can and typically does hang around your fragile domicile.
I recall one evening not sleeping a wink because I had been stupid enough to erect my tent beneath the shade of a tree, the fruits of which, I discovered, much to my chagrin, were the favored food of elephants and hippos. They munched, belched and farted, and broke branches throughout the night, and just when I thought I might be able to sleep through some of it, a huge tusker started headbutting
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the tree in order to knock more fruit to the ground. It was like trying to doze through a giant hailstorm. I had bags under my eyes in the morning. But to be honest, it was so exhilarating, I’ll never ever forget it.Mana Pools is a beautiful park. There are riverside forests and open plains too, as well as the river and a series of small lakes (after which the park is named).
You’ll likely see lions and hyenas (sometimes right next to your accommodation) as well as the usual safari staples. Wild dogs are commonly seen. But for me, the stars of the Mana Pools show are the big bull elephants that are super chilled and unconcerned with humans (even if you are on foot).
Some of them have picked up the habit of rising up on their back legs (like a circus performing elephant) to reach leaf-laden branches, the spoils from which they will often share with their ladies.
A Beautiful Riverside Environment in the Tranquil Zambezi Valley
Although Mana Pools is not as popular as Hwange due to its greater distance from Victoria Falls, I think it definitely has the edge on jaw-dropping scenery. The lazy meanderings of the Zambezi provide a lovely river frontage flanked by forests of wild fig and ebony trees, and the mountainous Zambian escarpment is a beautiful backdrop. On our visit, the river couldn’t have been a better environment for game viewing. We saw large groups of herbivores congregating on the floodplains, while the only sounds that disturbed the peaceful setting were the splashing of a lone bull elephant in the shallows and the thud of a crocodile as it slithered into the water. The park is also home to a number of predators including lion, African wild dog and spotted hyena, and despite them being difficult to see, it’s not often that a visitor leaves Mana Pools without seeing at least one of the carnivores.
Walking with Elephants
mighty Zambezi River. This wilderness extends across the river into Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia, with the backdrop of the Zambezi escarpment in the distance.
The park is very seasonal. While animals disperse and lodges close in the wet season, the riverfront area teems with wildlife in the dry season. We arrived the first week of May, just days after the park reopened and we almost had the place to ourselves. We know the floodplains can get quite congested at times, so being so early in the season worked in our favour on that front. The payoff was that animals were still spread out so soon after the rains, so wildlife viewing wasn’t as good as I’d hoped for.
The open floodplains offer great opportunities for foot safaris and many days we opted for a mix of walking and driving. While Mana Pools is known as the only park in Africa where unguided walking is permitted, I hope nobody would be crazy enough to head out into the bush alone unless they have
Clichéd as it may be, my highlight was getting close on foot to one of the big tuskers. As he was snacking on winterthorn pods, I was secretly hoping he would do what the local bulls are known for. And he did. He stretched and reached…couldn’t quite make it and eventually balanced his massive body while standing on his two hind feet, reaching high with his trunk to grab what must be the tastiest of all pods. Success all around. He got the pod, and I got the photo.
The park is very seasonal. While animals disperse and lodges close in the wet season, the riverfront area teems with wildlife in the dry season. We arrived the first week of May, just days after the park reopened and we almost had the place to ourselves. We know the floodplains can get quite congested at times, so being so early in the season worked in our favour on that front. The payoff was that animals were still spread out so soon after the rains, so wildlife viewing wasn’t as good as I’d hoped for.
The open floodplains offer great opportunities for foot safaris and many days we opted for a mix of walking and driving. While Mana Pools is known as the only park in Africa where unguided walking is permitted, I hope nobody would be crazy enough to head out into the bush alone unless they have
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a lot of experience in that kind of thing. All camps in Mana Pools have at least one excellent, highly qualified guide on site for walking safaris. Not only will they keep you safe, but their extensive knowledge also adds a lot to the experience.Clichéd as it may be, my highlight was getting close on foot to one of the big tuskers. As he was snacking on winterthorn pods, I was secretly hoping he would do what the local bulls are known for. And he did. He stretched and reached…couldn’t quite make it and eventually balanced his massive body while standing on his two hind feet, reaching high with his trunk to grab what must be the tastiest of all pods. Success all around. He got the pod, and I got the photo.
Perfect for Vehicle-Free Wildlife-Watching
Mana Pools is the park that sends Zimbabwe’s faithful fans really misty-eyed. What makes it remarkable are its waterways. Separated from Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park by the Zambezi, it’s a superb place for a canoe adventure. And when I say adventure, I mean adventure – the type that could, for all you know, include all-too-close encounters with hippos, crocodiles or herds of wading buffalo.
On my own gentle paddle, there were no such mishaps. My guide had a knack for instilling confidence and my early worries that my canoe was a little too light and unstable soon faded as we got into the rhythm of things. We saw hippos aplenty as we cruised along; they would stare and grumble at us before disappearing beneath the glossy water.
To make a great wilderness experience even better, you can explore Mana Pools on foot on a guided bushwalk, admiring the park’s superb, mature mahogany, leadwood and baobab trees and spotting elephants and the tracks of wild dogs.
Walking with Elephants
It seems sacrilegious to say so, but after having heard so much about Mana Pools over the years, when I did finally get to visit this legendary park in 2023, the reality was slightly disappointing. To be fair, this is largely because my expectations had been raised sky high. One of my favorite parks anywhere in Africa is Lower Zambezi National Park, which stands on the Zambian bank of the Zambezi facing Mana Pools, and I’d been led to expect that its Zimbabwean counterpart was even better – which, ultimately, I don’t think it is.
Mana Pools’ main claim to fame is that it is probably the only park of comparable stature where tourists are permitted to walk unguided among the Big Five (actually, Big Four, as rhino are absent). In practice, however, it would be extremely risky for an ordinary tourist to walk here without an experienced guide, and although all camps in Mana Pools do offer guided walks, the same is true for most other parks in Zimbabwe. Mana Pools’ other
Having said that, had I visited Mana Pools cold, without having heard all the hype, I would have found it to be hugely impressive. The Zambezi floodplain is absolutely teeming with wildlife in the dry season, and guided walks here are absolutely fantastic, offering an opportunity to get close to large herds of elephant and buffalo, as well as zebra, eland, impala, waterbuck and warthog. We also had great sightings of lions, and were told that African wild dogs are regularly seen in midwinter, when they tend to stick close to their dens to protect their pups. Leopard sightings are uncommon by comparison to Lower Zambezi, in large part because night drives are forbidden. I was also impressed by the birdlife, particularly the high concentrations of large raptors – we regularly saw five different species of eagle on a single game drive.
I’m conscious that this review might come across as more negative than intended. If that’s the case, look at my ratings, or a few other reviews, and you’ll see that these are uniformly high. Let me be clear: Mana Pools is undoubtedly worth including on any safari itinerary. But it should be approached with realistic expectations, and in my opinion, among Zimbabwe’s major parks, it ranks significantly below Hwange when it comes to general game viewing, and feels less wild and remote than Matusadona or Gonarezhou.
Mana Pools’ main claim to fame is that it is probably the only park of comparable stature where tourists are permitted to walk unguided among the Big Five (actually, Big Four, as rhino are absent). In practice, however, it would be extremely risky for an ordinary tourist to walk here without an experienced guide, and although all camps in Mana Pools do offer guided walks, the same is true for most other parks in Zimbabwe. Mana Pools’ other
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big selling point is the possibility of canoeing safaris on the Zambezi, but unlike in Zambia, many camps don’t actually offer river trips, which I found slightly disappointing.Having said that, had I visited Mana Pools cold, without having heard all the hype, I would have found it to be hugely impressive. The Zambezi floodplain is absolutely teeming with wildlife in the dry season, and guided walks here are absolutely fantastic, offering an opportunity to get close to large herds of elephant and buffalo, as well as zebra, eland, impala, waterbuck and warthog. We also had great sightings of lions, and were told that African wild dogs are regularly seen in midwinter, when they tend to stick close to their dens to protect their pups. Leopard sightings are uncommon by comparison to Lower Zambezi, in large part because night drives are forbidden. I was also impressed by the birdlife, particularly the high concentrations of large raptors – we regularly saw five different species of eagle on a single game drive.
I’m conscious that this review might come across as more negative than intended. If that’s the case, look at my ratings, or a few other reviews, and you’ll see that these are uniformly high. Let me be clear: Mana Pools is undoubtedly worth including on any safari itinerary. But it should be approached with realistic expectations, and in my opinion, among Zimbabwe’s major parks, it ranks significantly below Hwange when it comes to general game viewing, and feels less wild and remote than Matusadona or Gonarezhou.
The Holy Grail of Zimbabwean Wildlife Areas
World-Heritage-listed Mana Pools occupies the southern section of the Lower Zambezi–Mana Pools Transfrontier Conservation Area. This is an iconic park with incredible concentrations of diverse wildlife. All the cats and wild dogs occur here in abundance. The sight of a cheetah tearing across the floodplain or a pride of lions splashing through a crocodile-infested channel to hunt buffalo and waterbuck on the park’s many islands is a sight that makes my heart pound every time. Africa’s fourth largest river, along with its massive surrounding floodplains and sprawling albida forests full of elephants during the dry season, dominates this game-rich area. The open nature of the terrain alongside the river and the high densities of wildlife during the dry season make Mana an ideal area for experiencing a guided walking safari. If walking isn’t your cup of tea, then game drives, boat cruises and canoe safaris might whet your appetite instead.
Magical Mana
Mana Pools is a close contender for my favorite park in Africa. I could sit by the Zambezi River all day just watching the wildlife come to me: Boswell, the bull elephant whose party trick is to stand on his hind legs to eat from the trees, is one of the local stars, as is Mitch, a very mellow hippo who lay down near our campfire over breakfast.
The scenery is gorgeous, with tree-studded floodplains and the broad Zambezi lying in the shadows of the escarpment of the same name. The four pools after which the park is named (Mana means four in Shona) also attract a wealth of wildlife and birdlife. And it offers a rare freedom in the bush, with a chance to canoe, drive and walk even without a guide. I wouldn’t recommend this, however – unless you really know what you’re doing and are confident in interpreting animal behavior, exploring with a guide is always far more interesting and relaxing.
Mana is also one of the best places to see painted wolves, also known
The scenery is gorgeous, with tree-studded floodplains and the broad Zambezi lying in the shadows of the escarpment of the same name. The four pools after which the park is named (Mana means four in Shona) also attract a wealth of wildlife and birdlife. And it offers a rare freedom in the bush, with a chance to canoe, drive and walk even without a guide. I wouldn’t recommend this, however – unless you really know what you’re doing and are confident in interpreting animal behavior, exploring with a guide is always far more interesting and relaxing.
Mana is also one of the best places to see painted wolves, also known
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as wild dogs or painted dogs. Three of the local packs featured in BBC’s Dynasties series, raising the profile of these endangered and elusive predators. If you’re as obsessed as I am about them, check out African Bush Camps’ three camps in the park: Zambezi Expeditions, Nyamatusi and Kanga. In the Dry season, these camps offer the chance to track the wolves on foot with expert guide and photographer Nicholas Dyer.Grunting Hippos
Canoeing down the Zambezi River through Mana Pools National Park would have to rate as one of my all-time favourite African wildlife experiences. Gliding along this magnificent stretch of one of the world’s wildest rivers in a small fiberglass canoe past pods of grunting hippos makes you realise how insignificant you are in the world. Few other places in Africa feel as unspoilt as this section of the Zambezi River. Under the soaring, purple-hazed Zambian escarpment, the river languidly flows past small herds of elephants and buffalo as they graze on grassy floodplains, and lush forests, which line its banks. It really is a visual feast – you don’t know which way to look. It was here I spent a sleepless night as a plague of mice raided our food supplies and scurried around our tents as hippos bellowed and groaned in the distance; watched helplessly as an elephant lumbered through our campsite sideswiping a tent with its occupants still asleep inside; and held my breath as a territorial
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hippo lunged at my canoe from one direction while a prehistoric-looking Nile crocodile slithered off the bank in the other direction and disappeared into the murky waters beneath me. Was I terrified? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely!Justifiably One of the World’s Great Wildlife Hot Spots
Mana Pools is hard to beat. Sure, rhino have become locally extinct in the area, but almost everything else you could hope to see is stunningly visible in these 2,196km² of riverine forest, savannah and baobab-studded bush on the banks of the mighty Zambezi.
You’re almost guaranteed to see lion here and have an excellent chance of seeing both painted dogs and cheetah. Leopard are more elusive but still frequently seen. A highlight for many visitors comes with the obligatory introduction (at a respectful distance) to tuskers so massive that they seem to have walked straight out of the journals of Livingstone. The famous Boswell, in particular, is blessed with a talent for rearing circus-like onto his rear legs to reach for the highest branches.
African Bush Camps (employing some of the best guides in the safari industry) has two properties overlooking the great river and on the evening I arrived the local pride had killed a buffalo virtually on the doorstep at
Needless to say, I’ll never forget Mana Pools!
You’re almost guaranteed to see lion here and have an excellent chance of seeing both painted dogs and cheetah. Leopard are more elusive but still frequently seen. A highlight for many visitors comes with the obligatory introduction (at a respectful distance) to tuskers so massive that they seem to have walked straight out of the journals of Livingstone. The famous Boswell, in particular, is blessed with a talent for rearing circus-like onto his rear legs to reach for the highest branches.
African Bush Camps (employing some of the best guides in the safari industry) has two properties overlooking the great river and on the evening I arrived the local pride had killed a buffalo virtually on the doorstep at
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Nyamatusi Mahogany Camp. One of my favourite camps on the entire continent is the secluded Kanga Camp. Since this classic tented camp is located beside a waterhole that at times offers the only reliable water within a 30km radius, it is usually teeming with wildlife. One day I resisted the temptation to go out game driving and instead spent an entire day on the verandah; between dawn and dusk we clocked up a grand total of 1118 animal sightings without leaving the sofa. Then, ten minutes after we closed the books on that running tally I found myself staring into the eyes of number 1119 – a huge male leopard that gazed back at me from a distance of about six feet.Needless to say, I’ll never forget Mana Pools!
River Wild
Mana Pools was once one of those ‘best-kept secret’ parks, celebrated by locals and aficionados for its scenic grandeur, hair-raising safari yarns and general wilderness appeal, but relatively little known to the broader safari industry. In recent years, however, its profile has risen. Several new lodges have opened, both along the Zambezi waterfront and inland, and it has received an upsurge in interest in the media – notably in 2018, when an episode of the BBC’s ‘Dynasties’ series saw David Attenborough tell the story of a pack of African wild dogs in the park.
Wild dogs have indeed been extensively researched at Mana Pools, which gets its name from four permanent pools trapped beside the river on the floodplain (‘Mana’ meaning four). On my last visit, in November 2019, I was lucky enough to spend several days following the movements of one particular habituated pack, much of the time doing so on foot. In the process, I was reassured to find that this remote
Beside the wild dogs, the park is known for the great aggregation of game along the river during the dry season, with buffalo, hippo and alarmingly tame elephant wandering casually through the lodges and campsites. Certain individual elephant bulls are celebrated for their trick of rearing up on hind legs to get at winter-thorn pods, and have been much photographed as a result. Several lion prides operate along the riverfront, and also around the Salt Springs area inland, where clashes with the local buffalo produce some dramatic confrontations. Spotted hyenas are numerous, and both leopard and cheetah also occur, though neither is easy to find. Notable herbivores include eland and nyala – though giraffe and wildebeest are conspicuous by their absence.
Mana Pools is not a park for racing around on game drives and ticking off sightings: it is more about relaxing by the river, soaking up the wilderness and eschewing the vehicle to head out on foot. Indeed, this is one of Africa’s very best parks for walking safaris, offering an excellent chance of encountering elephant, buffalo and even lion. Canoeing is also a must, where available, with great game viewing from the water’s edge and guaranteed close encounters with hippos and crocs. Birdlife is prolific throughout, with Lilian’s lovebird and Narina trogon among local specials, plus African skimmers and easily photographed carmine bee-eater colonies along the river. Nights can be noisy, with hippos grunting from the river while lions and spotted hyenas add their voice inland. The park is largely closed during the rains, when roads are flooded and access is difficult.
Wild dogs have indeed been extensively researched at Mana Pools, which gets its name from four permanent pools trapped beside the river on the floodplain (‘Mana’ meaning four). On my last visit, in November 2019, I was lucky enough to spend several days following the movements of one particular habituated pack, much of the time doing so on foot. In the process, I was reassured to find that this remote
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park remains as wild as ever, with its breathtaking river frontage, alluring winter-thorn groves and looming escarpment views unspoilt by any recent developments.Beside the wild dogs, the park is known for the great aggregation of game along the river during the dry season, with buffalo, hippo and alarmingly tame elephant wandering casually through the lodges and campsites. Certain individual elephant bulls are celebrated for their trick of rearing up on hind legs to get at winter-thorn pods, and have been much photographed as a result. Several lion prides operate along the riverfront, and also around the Salt Springs area inland, where clashes with the local buffalo produce some dramatic confrontations. Spotted hyenas are numerous, and both leopard and cheetah also occur, though neither is easy to find. Notable herbivores include eland and nyala – though giraffe and wildebeest are conspicuous by their absence.
Mana Pools is not a park for racing around on game drives and ticking off sightings: it is more about relaxing by the river, soaking up the wilderness and eschewing the vehicle to head out on foot. Indeed, this is one of Africa’s very best parks for walking safaris, offering an excellent chance of encountering elephant, buffalo and even lion. Canoeing is also a must, where available, with great game viewing from the water’s edge and guaranteed close encounters with hippos and crocs. Birdlife is prolific throughout, with Lilian’s lovebird and Narina trogon among local specials, plus African skimmers and easily photographed carmine bee-eater colonies along the river. Nights can be noisy, with hippos grunting from the river while lions and spotted hyenas add their voice inland. The park is largely closed during the rains, when roads are flooded and access is difficult.