Mana Pools
Zimbabwe · Mashonaland West · 380 m
Description
Mana Pools is a stretch of the Zambezi floodplain below Kariba where the river has left four permanent pools behind it and the albida forest above them is open and unusually tall, so the light comes through in shafts and the ground is bare enough to see a long way. It is one of the few parks in Africa where visitors are allowed to walk unguided, and it is where elephants stand on their hind legs to reach into the trees. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it has no fences, and it shuts when the rains make the access track impassable.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 3 to 6 days (optimal 4 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: June – October
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Walking safari on the floodplain
- Elephants standing to feed in the albida trees
- Canoe safari down the Zambezi
- The four mana pools
- Painted dog packs of the valley
- Chitake Springs
- Winterthorn cathedral forest
- Nyamepi camp on the river bank
- Zambezi escarpment descent
- Carmine bee-eater colonies (September - November)
- Tiger fishing from the bank
- Night sky over the valley floor