Mana Pools is Africa at its most cinematic: a UNESCO-listed floodplain on the Lower Zambezi where ancient albida forests filter blue light onto elephant that rise on their hind legs to reach the seed pods — a behavior found almost nowhere else.
This is a park for doing, not just watching: guided walks among the herds and canoe stages drifting past hippo pods and drinking buffalo, with the Zambian escarpment glowing across the river. It is remote, uncrowded and utterly wild.
Mana Pools is a UNESCO World Heritage wilderness on the Lower Zambezi where the safari goes hands-on: canoeing past hippo pods, walking with world-class guides and watching elephants stand on their hind legs to reach albida pods. It is remote, seasonal and, for many connoisseurs, the best wilderness experience in Africa.
Highlights of Mana Pools National Park
Canoe safaris
Silent stages down the Zambezi — elephant at the waterline, fish eagles overhead.
The standing elephants
Mana’s bulls famously rear upright to browse the albida canopy.
Walking in the open forest
Park rules allow walking — with a pro guide the floodplain feels primeval.
Wild dog & lion
The floodplain supports strong predator populations, including habituated painted-dog packs.
Best time to visit Mana Pools
Dry season — game concentrates on the river; September and October are extraordinary.
The rains — most camps close; the park rests.
In the green months rates ease at many of these camps, the plains empty of vehicles and the light turns dramatic. What each season gives, and what it trades, is set out in our Safari Planning Guide.
Planning & cost
Fully tailor-made — priced privately to your camps, season and travel style. No fixed packages.
Every journey is privately designed, with private guides and vehicles arranged where specified, the finest lodges, and a specialist on call throughout. At fly-in camps, game drives may be shared unless a private vehicle is reserved.
Everything else,
answered before you ask
The practical details that apply to every safari we plan — so this page is the only one you need.
US dollars and cards cover nearly everything, and tips are the only real cash need — exact amounts and etiquette are in our Safari Planning Guide.
See a travel clinic 6–8 weeks before departure for routine shots and malaria advice (most safari regions require prophylaxis; parts of South Africa are malaria-free). Camps are remote but professionally run, with radio contact and evacuation cover — we require travel insurance that includes emergency medical evacuation.
Connected in camp, gloriously offline on the drives — the full connectivity picture is in our Safari Planning Guide.
Soft duffel bags only (light aircraft cap luggage around 33 lb / 15 kg), neutral-colored layers for cold mornings and warm afternoons, and binoculars. Laundry is included at almost every camp, so pack for 4–5 days no matter the trip length.
Full packing list →Continue exploring
Zimbabwe
A Zimbabwe safari runs from Victoria Falls to Hwange’s elephants and the wild canoeing of Mana Pools.
Explore → ExperienceWalking Safari
A walking safari is the bush on foot — led by expert armed guides.
Explore → ZambiaSouth Luangwa National Park
South Luangwa — the birthplace of the walking safari and Africa’s leopard capital.
Explore → RegionSouthern Africa
The desert, the delta and the falls — Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Explore →Mana Pools National Park FAQs
Getting to Zimbabwe — flights, visas and health
Current at the time of writing. We re-confirm every requirement for your exact routing before you travel — and we will tell you what to apply for, and when.
Let's design your Mana Pools National Park journey.
A Mana Pools safari is for travelers who want to walk, and who like their wilderness unpolished.
Tell us how you like to travel and start with a complimentary consultation. When you are ready, a $500 USD planning fee covers your personalized itinerary and revisions, and is deducted from your booking deposit when you book.
Inquire now