Mana Pools National Park

Mana Pools’ appeal lies equally with its blend of scenery and wildlife as it does with its unique activities. This 845 mi² national park is located in northern Zimbabwe. In the north, it's ecologically defined by reeds, sandbanks and huge mahogany and acacia trees along the Zambezi River. Heading south towards the Zambezi Escarpment, the landscape is characterized by pools and dense mopane woodland. Mana Pools is one of Africa’s top parks to spot wild dog. In addition, it's one of the few where elephant stand on their hind feet to reach branches with their trunks. Leopard, greater kudu, waterbuck, zebra, eland, impala, bushbuck, lion and crocodiles are also commonly seen.

Visitors have the unique opportunity to undergo a “walking and driving excursion.” Visitors will accompany a guide in an open vehicle, but if they spot tantalizing evidence of an exciting animal nearby you best be prepared to disembark on foot and track it! This park is also an incredible destination for fishing and canoeing safaris. The latter provide visitors the opportunity to access areas along the river’s shore and small islands. Here, guests can view a multitude of animals, most notably elephants, which wade across the channels in search for food on riverine islands. Even more excitingly, if you spot a certain animal moving inland from the shoreline, guests have the option to spontaneously follow them on foot on a “canoeing and walking excursion.”