Zimbabwe's premier UNESCO-awarded wildlife park
Mana Pools is a UNESCO-protected national park created in northern Zimbabwe’s section of the Lower Zambezi Valley is an impressive and very wild landscape made up of 2,000 square kilometres of pristine vegetation and the dramatic Rift Valley escarpment. Much of the parkland is inaccessible unless you go on foot, helping to preserve the area’s enviable remoteness and untouched natural beauty.
“Mana” meaning “four” in the local Shona language, refers to the four large pools that lie inland from the Zambezi River. The pools are remnant ox-bow lakes, that the Zambezi River carved thousands of years ago as it changed its course northwards.
A safari here is one where the pools attract a profusion of aquatic birds as well as herds of elephants, hippopotamus, and Nile crocodiles. Predators such as lion, leopard, cheetah and spotted hyena are mostly found in the open woodland areas of the reserve, but can be very secretive and not that easy to spot without an expert tracker. The low scrub makes Mana an excellent walking safari destination and the pools perfect for canoe-based game spotting.
Mana Pools National Park is in fact part of a larger, boundary-less area that stretches across the north of Zimbabwe west from the Kariba Dam to the border with Mozambique. Animals wander freely between these and even across to Zambia’s Lower Zambezi parklands.
Highlights
Discover remote and unspoiled parkland only accessible on foot
Set out on a canoe to spot aquatic birds and a variety of larger game
An expert tracker will help you spot even the most elusive of animals within the reserve’s woodlands
The pervading wildness and untouched nature of this remote national park make for some truly magical moments when game spotting. Elephants, hippos, crocodiles, zebras and lions are all on the agenda - your guide will point them out to you on a walking safari.

Jacob Maahs
Senior Travel Designer
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When to visit
The best time to visit Mana Pools National Park is the dry season between July and October. The low rainfall at this time of year means vegetation is sparse and wildlife congregates at the limited water sources. These conditions are perfect for incredible safaris and wildlife viewing. Mana Pools National Park closes during the rainy season.

Best time for a walking safari
July–August

Rainy season
November–March

Best time for bird watching
October–March
Zimbabwe travel guides
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Mana Pools National Park
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