Mana Pools National Park

Mana Pools National Park, established in 1963, lies along Zimbabwe’s northern border with Zambia on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River downstream from Lake Kariba.

This unique park has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and comprises 2,196 square kilometers of remote and wild landscape, most of which is in accessible except on foot and therefore completely unspoilt. For the adventurous traveler, a canoe trip down on the Mana Canoe Trail is one of the best ways to experience the African bush. Mana Pools is also one of Zimbabwe’s best locations for walking safaris and ranks with the South Luangwa (in Zambia) and the Selinda area (in Botswana) as one of the best in Southern Africa.

In the local Shona language, the word ‘mana’ means four and refers to the four main pools for which this stretch of the Zambezi is famous – Main, Chine, Long and Chisambuk – which are the remnants of ox-bow lakes carved out of the river many thousands of years ago. These and other smaller seasonal pools dotted further inland hold water all year round, drawing all manner of animal and birdlife during the dry season. The plentiful acacia albida trees that characterize the floodplain also shed their protein rich pods during this time, providing vital sustenance for many species and in particular, the elephant.

Game viewing is excellent – especially in the dry season – and the park has the country’s largest concentration of hippo, crocodiles, buffalo and elephant to be found in and along the river. Greater kudu, Burchell’s zebra, impala, warthog, eland, baboons and common waterbuck are some of the larger herbivores seen regularly on the surrounding plains and predators such as lion, wild dog, spotted hyena, leopard, jackal and cheetah are often spotted. Mana Pools also offers fantastic birding with the river and sesaonal pans attracting large numbers of water birds as well as an excellent mix of species in the different types of vegetation within the park.