Mana Pools
A UNESCO World Heritage site located along the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, Mana Pools has rightly earned it’s reputation as one of the finest safari destinations in Africa. From the sandy banks and islets on the river, to the mahogany forests which coat the valley, Mana Pools is brimming with wildlife, including Elephant, Buffalo, Hippo, Giraffe as well as a healthy populations of Lion, Leopard and Wild Dog.
Mana Pools is especially famed for its walking safaris and canoeing safaris, which allow close encounters with the resident wildlife – especially the large bull Elephants – which have developed a unique habit of rearing up on their hind feet to feed on fruiting trees.
When to go:
In terms of game-viewing, Mana Pools is a classic ‘dry season’ park, with game viewing best from July through to October, when the large herds of animals gather in the areas around the Zambezi. It must be mentioned though that temperatures escalate through September and October, and day time temperatures in October regularly reach over 38 degrees and so we would advise to avoid this month despite its great game viewing. Outside of the dry season, dispersal of game and dense woodland make game viewing difficult.