Safari experts & storytellers. Since 1991
Trust us to find you the rarest animals, the most spectacular wildlife events, the remotest landscapes and deeply meaningful cultural encounters!
You will experience the best that Mana Pools has to offer, from the floodplains overlooking the mighty Zambezi River to the cliffs overlooking the dry Rukomechi Riverbed. This is an old-school safari, where walking, canoeing and slow game drives reveal Mana's secrets.
This journey flies you in and out of Harare into the heart of the Mana Pools wilderness for a generous eight-night stay split between two superb camps, giving you time to settle in, follow the Zambezi's rhythms and understand why Mana is so revered. Expect close, unfiltered encounters, elephants feeding beneath winterthorn trees, hippos and crocodiles commanding the channels, and predators drawn to the floodplain’s abundance. And guiding that invites you to slow down, look closer, and truly be part of the landscape.
The safari connoisseur magic that is Mana Pools
Highlights
Incredible wildlife viewing - including lion, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, spotted and brown hyena, elephant, giraffe, zebra and vast herds of buffalo.
Mana on foot: One of Africa’s great walking safari destinations - track, read, and follow the bush at ground level. You can get up close to big elephant bulls on foot or even follow African wild dogs on the hunt.
Boat the Zambezi: Take a canoe or boat to see large pods of hippos and huge Nile crocodiles sunning themselves on the sandy riverbanks.
Game drives that deliver: Track lion and leopard, watch elephant and buffalo move through the floodplain, and, with luck, encounter Mana’s wild dogs on the hunt.
Two Camps: A split stay that keeps the experience fresh while staying deeply immersed in the magic of Mana ools.
Location
Mana Pools National Park (northern Zimbabwe) stretches along the banks of the Zambezi River, opposite Zambia's Lower Zambezi National Park. There are few roads in this UNESCO World Heritage Site landscape of riverine forest, floodplains, and mixed woodland, plus the many islands, channels, pools and sandbanks on the Zambezi River.
Mana Pools offers a spectacular walking safari experience, with close encounters with elephants, lions, and wild dogs. Away from the river, at the foot of the escarpment, is Chitake Springs - a remote and truly wild safari experience. Surrounding Mana Pools are further protected areas that, in total, amount to almost 1,7m hectares of unfenced wilderness. Visitors can enjoy thrilling activities such as canoe trips, guided walks, game drives, river cruises, birdwatching, and catch-and-release fishing.
Lodges
4 nights at Kavinga Safari Camp. A classic inland river-valley camp designed for comfort and connection to place, with a relaxed safari rhythm and a strong focus on immersive time in the surrounding wilderness.
4 nights at Vundu Camp. A characterful camp on the floodplain next to the Zambezi River, with a warm, intimate feel — ideal for getting deeper into Mana’s walking-and-river safari style, supported by excellent guiding and a strong conservation ethos.
Timing
The ideal time for this safari is June to October, when Mana Pools National Park is at its most rewarding. Wildlife concentrates along the Zambezi River and adjacent pools, visibility is excellent, and cooler, dry conditions make walking and canoe activities particularly comfortable and consistently productive. Temperatures rise considerably in September and October, but the dry conditions make these excellent months for wildlife viewing.
Mana Pools becomes inaccessible once the rainy season commences in November, and only becomes accessible in May once the floods have subsided.
Price per person sharing
8 nights (9 days) | ||
Low season | May & Jun 2026 | from US$ 7,261 |
High season | Jul to 15 Oct 2026 | from US$ 9,477 |
Includes: All scheduled flights and transfers connecting Johannesburg, Harare and the Mana Pools region, accommodation throughout, meals and local beverages, park fees and conservation levy, and 24-hour logistical support.
Excludes: International flights and airport taxes, visas, premium beverages, gratuities, personal expenses and mandatory travel, cancellation and medical insurance.
Thank you!
We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level.
Safari planning
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Ultimate Mana Pools safari
Tell us about your dream trip - our travel experts will craft a no-obligation itinerary just for you. We have crafted over 5,000 safaris since 1991. Your personal details are protected; we only use this information to contact you.
Why choose us to craft your safari?
Handcrafted experiential safaris since 1991.
Travel in Africa is about knowing when and where to go, and with whom. A few weeks too early/late or a few kilometres off course, and you could miss the greatest show on Earth. And wouldn’t that be a pity?
Trust & Safety
Guest payments go into a third-party TRUST ACCOUNT - protecting them in the unlikely event of a financial setback on our part. Also, we are members of SATSA who attest to our integrity, legal compliance and financial stability.
Make a difference
We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level.
YOUR safari choice does make a difference - thank you!