Mana Pools National Game Park
Tours made for you
Explore on foot
Discover the wildlife on a walking safari
Game-spotting
The pools and surrounding woodland attract a range of animals
Water safaris
Go game-spotting from a canoe
Unspoiled location
Much of the parkland remains untouched and naturally beautiful
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
Jody van Merode
Senior Travel Designer
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.
Jody van Merode
Senior Travel Designer
Trip inspiration
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Luxury accommodation in Mana Pools National Park
Discover more of Zimbabwe
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A 130,00-acre reserve linked to the Gonarezhou National Park
Discover moreMeet your Africa team
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
Plan your trip to
Mana Pools National Park
Whatever you want from your adventure in Mana Pools National Park, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
We recently returned from a trip to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia booked through Jacada Travel. From the initial stages of planning through to following up with us at the end of our vacation, Jacada went above and beyond our expectations with personalized service. Jamie and Eugenia, our travel designer and concierge respectively, took our ideas and preferences and ran…
The trip was perfect from start to finish which I completely attribute to the communication with James and Eugenia. I really felt as if our needs were anticipated and our style of travel understood. They truly picked the best accommodations and made transfers between easy. I've never had such a seamless and well-organized travel experience. It is so worth it…
Jacada planned us an incredible bucket list trip to Africa. Our travel designers really took time to get to know us, our travel preferences, and what we were looking for, which was so important since it was our first time to Africa and first time booking a trip through a travel company. We didn't know where to start between Southern…
We have just returned from a wonderful holiday...the absolute best! Starting at the Victoria Falls, viewing from both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides and topped it off with a view from above (helicopter).....was stunning! We then went onto Botswana staying at both Selinda and Mombo Camps....both camps were outstanding! Accomodation, food, game drives, guides and the 'team' on the ground…
Jacada is beyond incredible and we look forward to planning future adventures with them. Our experience was flawless from beginning to end. Iain listened to our dream trip ideas and came up with a bucket list itinerary to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. James took over and guided us with his amazing care til departure. Such peace during our travels…
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