As the first national park in Zimbabwe to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mana Pools is really something special. Meaning ‘four’ in the local Shona language, ‘mana’ points to its four massive oxbow lakes or ‘pools’, originally carved out by the Zambezi River. 

Its landscape is jaw-droppingly beautiful and diverse, with green grasslands and river sandbanks leading into groves of baobabs, wild figs and mahogany trees. It also boasts a floodplain region, which along with the pools, gradually recedes during the dry season from April to September. During this time of year, Mana Pools quickly transforms into a game-viewing mecca as tensions rise and thirsty animals are forced to gather closer together than they would like.

Return visitors to Mana Pools love that they can get the best of aquatic and land-based activities, with walking safaris and canoe excursions tweaked into the itinerary. As for wildlife, there’s not much that this national park doesn’t have. Just picture it: Mega herds of ellie, generous prides of lion, packs of spotted hyena, and African wild dog. Harrumphing hippos and Nile crocodiles are also in attendance, along with resident and migratory birdlife (over 450 species recorded here!). 

Located in the extreme north of Zimbabwe, near the lower region of the Zambezi River, Mana Pools is incredibly remote, so expect plenty of bush camps. A few favorites include Chickwenya Camp and Zambezi Expedition Camp.