Safari experts & storytellers. Since 1991
Mana Pools National Park: a photographic and walking safari dream
The most iconic sight in Mana Pools is bull elephants defying their size, rising acrobatically onto their hind legs to reach seedpods high in the Ana tree branches. Endangered African wild dogs sprinting freely across the open plains is another special sight, something few ever get to witness. Across the islands, channels and sandbanks, life plays out in raw, elemental ways, a reminder of nature’s resilience and equilibrium.
Mana Pools National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known for its dreamlike, ever-changing light, from honeyed, dust-filled hues to ethereal blue tones filtering through the trees, creating a magical backdrop for wildlife photography.
5 Reasons We Love Mana Pools National Park
Walking safaris: Experience the chance of bumping into one of the legendary, relaxed old elephant bulls or a pack of hunting African wild dogs while on foot, and marvel at the smaller nuances of the bush. Mana Pools is the only national park in Africa with dangerous wildlife where you’re allowed to walk on foot without a guide. We always recommend going with an experienced guide for the best experience.
Photographic safaris: From a game-drive vehicle, on foot, from the water, or from a hide, you’ll get the best angles and incredible lighting to capture the landscapes and wildlife on a photographic safari.
Canoe or boat safaris: Life is linked to water here, and from the Zambezi River and its pools, you can get a different perspective as wildlife gathers for a drink.
Birding: Mana Pools is the ideal destination for birding enthusiasts, with over 400 species recorded along the Zambezi River, floodplains and woodlands.
Quality and knowledge of the guides: The guides know this area intimately, and guiding is second nature to them, which can make all the difference in such a remote park.
All you need to know about Mana Pools
About Mana Pools National Park
Located on Zimbabwe's northern border on the banks of the Zambezi River, Mana Pools covers 22,000 km² (220,000 hectares) of diverse landscape: riverine forest, floodplains, mixed woodland, and the many islands, channels, pools, and sandbanks of the Zambezi River itself.
One of the least developed parks in Africa, it remains a genuinely wild destination. And since Mana Pools is unfenced, wildlife is entirely comfortable moving through at any hour of the day or night. Visit Chitake Springs in southern Mana Pools, a perennial water source, for some of the most exceptional wildlife sightings in the national park. Mana Pools is one of Zimbabwe’s top safari destinations, offering some of the best walking safaris in Africa along the Zambezi River.
When to visit Mana Pools
The best time to visit is during the dry season, between May and October.
What wildlife can I see in Mana Pools?
Home to four of the Big 5, with the exception of the rhino.
A healthy elephant population that moves through Mana Pools.
Predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs, and spotted hyenas.
Elusive brown hyenas can be seen if you’re lucky.
African wild dogs (painted wolves) are a favourite sighting here, an endangered and extremely athletic species. The landscapes being fairly sparse, it can be easier to spot and watch them in the floodplains here than in some other areas.
Large pods of hippos and massive Nile crocodiles are at home in the Zambezi River.
Vast herds of buffalo and plains wildlife, including zebra, impala, kudu, waterbuck and eland.
Baboons, vervet monkeys and warthogs are commonly seen throughout the national park.
Birdlife: Over 400 species recorded, of which some highlights include Lilian's lovebird, Pel's fishing owl, eastern nicator, Peter's twinspot, black-throated wattle-eye, carmine bee-eaters, as well as the African pitta (seasonal).
Lodges and camps in Mana Pools National Park
Although it’s a wildly remote destination, Mana Pools offers a range of luxury accommodation options, from seasonal canvas tents designed for prime wildlife viewing and immersive experiences to more permanent camps on stilts with private plunge pools.
Many camps are set on the banks of the Zambezi River, where much of the wildlife action happens. There are also family-friendly options available, offering dedicated activities to keep them engaged.
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Why choose Africa Geographic to plan your safari?
"Africa Geographic put together a trip for us to Chitake Springs and Mana Pools. The arrangements were smooth, and I was updated through the entire process. The trip was absolutely amazing with some once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I can certainly recommend Africa Geographic and this specific trip."
“The next destination was to Mana Pools in Zimbabwe . . Wild dogs drinking by the camp, a herd of buffalos coming to drink at the springs, lions feeding on a kudu below where we were sitting, lions in trees, etc. Overall, this has to be the best safari experience to date. The wildlife and birds are too numerous to mention and will take some beating.”
“Africa Geo arranged the most memorable photographic trip to Chitake Spring [in Mana Pools]. Most memorable was the buffalo stampeding into the Springs – the build-up as we realised we were between the buffalo and the Springs . . . Closely followed by the back-lit baboons, Lillian's Lovebirds drinking (knowing later that the lions were just watching us as we crawled the river bed!).”
Wish you were here?
Frequently asked questions
Mana Pools National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Zimbabwe, famed for walking safaris, extraordinary wildlife, and surreal photographic lighting and landscapes. It’s the only national park in Africa where you can do a self-guided walking safari among big wildlife.
The best time to visit Mana Pools is during the dry season, between May and October, when wildlife is drawn to the more permanent water sources. With fewer waterhole options available across the landscape, you get a naturally higher density of species concentrated in one area. Please note that during the peak rainy season, from November to around March, many of the roads and camps close down.
You can see four of the Big 5 (rhino is not found here), as well as large concentrations of elephants, buffalo, hippo, and crocodiles. African wild dogs, baboons, monkeys, warthogs, zebras and many antelope, including eland, impala, and waterbuck, are all regularly seen.
Over 400 species have been recorded, including Lilian's lovebird, black-throated wattle-eye, Pel's fishing owl, eastern nicator, Peter's twinspot, and carmine bee-eaters, one of the most spectacularly colourful birdlife displays.
The name ‘Mana’ means ‘four’ in the local Shona language, referring to the four largest oxbow lakes, namely Main/Mana, Chine, Chisambuk, and Long. These are remnants of a time when the river flowed along a different course.
Mana Pools was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its outstanding natural value. It’s celebrated for its impressive annual congregation of wildlife along the Zambezi floodplains. The park is also recognised as a significant example of how a large seasonal river shapes its landscape over time through ever-changing sandbanks, channels and vegetation patterns, and for providing critical habitat for threatened species.
You can fly to Harare or Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. From here, you can either take a charter flight to one of the airstrips in the park for the most comfortable journey (and to see it from a bird’s-eye view) or you can take the 7-8-hour 4x4 self-drive or shuttle to the park. Our team at Africa Geographic can help arrange all transport for you.
Mana Pools is one of the best walking safari destinations in Africa and the only national park on the continent where you can walk unguided among big, dangerous wildlife. Zimbabwe's guiding standards are excellent, and going with an experienced guide is strongly recommended for safety and to get the most from the experience.
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