Zambezi Expeditions
Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
At a Glance
Unbeatable location on the bank of the Zambezi River
Spacious and comfortable safari tents, proper beds and unlimited hot bucket showers
Fantastic guiding and service from the African Bush Camps team
Great in combination with Kanga Camp, an hour inland from the river
No better location from which to explore the river itself by canoe
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Best time to Visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Mana Pools has a moderate to sub-tropical climate with three distinct seasons: from November to March is the Emerald, or the rainy season, April to July is Zimbabwe's winter, when the weather is cool and dry, and August to October is summer, when the weather is hot and dry. In terms of game viewing, the dryer months, meaning a higher concentration of game at the permanent water sources, are a superb time to visit. Alternatively come for some superb birdwatching at the end of the rains. Zambezi Life Styles camp opens from May until the end of October.
Insider's View
A morning walking out from camp, stopping for brunch in the bush, a siesta by the river, followed by an afternoon game drive to pick up canoes and finally a short paddle out to a mid-stream sandbank, as the sun sets over the Zambezi escarpment. What better way to spend a day on safari.
Cast your line out from the bank during siesta time and you may hook a good bream for the chef to turn into nibbles to enjoy with your evening drink.
Ask your guide to take you on a nature walk for a chance to discover the bush from a different perspective
One of the wildest camps in Mana Pools enjoy camping on the banks of the Zambezi lulled to sleep by the sounds of hippos wallowing in the river
Make sure you go on a walking safari whilst at the camp for the chance to track wildlife on foot and witness some truly incredible encounters
Take to the river on a canoe safari for the opportunity to get a unique perspective on the game that frequents the river, including hippos, crocodiles and elephants
Due to its fantastic location on the Zambezi, hippos venture up onto the banks during the night to feed. Snuggle into your comfortable bed and listen to the chomping sounds of the hippos as they happily feed around your tent
Call us on to start planning your holiday to Zambezi Expeditions or take a look at our itineraries to Zimbabwe
Description
Zambezi Expeditions is an authentic tented camp set on the Zimbabwean bank of the Zambezi River in Mana Pools National Park. This exclusive 6 tent camp offers direct access to the river and a wealth of safari activities in the area.
African Bush Camps offer a fantastic Zambezi River and Mana Pools National Park experience through their mobile tented camp Zambezi Expeditions (formerly named Zambezi Lifestyles).
The camp is set up before guests arrive in a favourite camping spot high on the bank of the mighty Zambezi River in Northern Zimbabwe. The camp is open from May to the end of October, the dry season in this area of the country, and over this period offers guests an authentic and exclusive safari experience in an unparalleled location.
Mana Pools National Park is a legendary national park high up on the list for all avid safari goers. The park itself is located in Northern Zimbabwe on the Lower Zambezi below Lake Kariba. The park itself is well known for its game rich flood plains and magnificent views of the river and the Zambezi escarpment, over the border in Zambia. This is one of the best places to walk on the continent and is a go to location for world class tiger-fishing and canoeing safaris.
There is a minimum stay of 3 nights for a minimum of 2 people. 2 night stays can be requested for larger groups of a minimum of 10 people.
Accommodation
There are just six safari tents, each well spaced under the shade of the large acacia and sausage trees of the river bank. The tents are twin bedded, with en-suite bathroom facilities that include flushing loos and hot bucket showers on request.
| Safari Tent | Authentic meru style safari tents with en-suite facilities. |
Childcare
Children under the age of 7 years are only accepted by prior agreement with the camp management. Walking safaris are only available to children that are aged 16 and over
Facilities
Zambezi Expeditions is equipped with a mess tent consisting of dining and eating areas, although for much of the year this is unnecessary as meals are taken outside and a sofa and comfortable chairs are set up under the shade of a large tree.
The camp is serviced by a cracking team of staff including a chef, waiter and tent staff, as well as your highly qualified and experienced safari guide.
There is a 12v lighting and charging facility for camera batteries.
Activities
Mana Pools National Park is an area benefiting from a wealth of safari activities. As previously mentioned, it is one of the best places in Africa to walk. The open flood plains of closely cropped grass and grazed trees provide an open and safe environment to explore. Sightings here are fantastic, guests will often set off from camp on foot early in the morning to pick up tracks from the night before.
The Zambezi River is an incredible place to canoe, Zambezi Expeditions is equipped with its own selection of Canadian style canoes. Exploring the river by canoe and stopping for lunch on a sandbank is a memorable way to spend the day here.
The camp comes equipped with a safari vehicle, game drives in the afternoon are a great way to explore the further reaches of the national park.
Zimbabwean guides are of the highest quality, each having to go through rigorous training in order to take guests out on walks, on the river or on game drives. You can be sure that an experience in Mana Pools with one of these guides will be educational and exciting.
Reviews
Sophie Levey (Staff)
This simple but tasteful camp is the perfect place for those wanting a real bush experience. With views over the river and a feeling of total wilderness, this was definitely one of my top picks of the trip!
Sarah Clegg (Staff)
I stayed at Zambezi Life Styles with my family in May 2011 for a three day safari spent on the Zambezi River. What an incredible experience. Having flown to Kanga Airstrip from Hwange, we spent 2 nights at African Bush Camps Kanga Camp, a 90 minute drive from Zambezi Life Styles. On to the river and the mobile camp. Zambezi Life Styles is in a dramatic location on the bank of the Zambezi River with incredible views of the river below and the Zambezi Escarpment beyond. The tents were comfortable and spacious for a mobile camp, service was excellent and our food was tasty and freshly prepared. The stand out part of any experience in this location is the activities on offer. Our guide, coincidentally called Fisher, was one of the best I have had the pleasure of being guided by. His guiding brought the bush to life. Well travelled and with a great sense of humour he added so much to our experience. Walking, canoeing, game drives, fishing, we covered it all. He tested our tracking skills and our knowledge of the bush so that we left looking forward to our next visit.
Experiences
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Canoeing on the Zambezi
Join an experienced and qualified river-guide for a canoe safari on the Zambezi River, this is a fantastic way to experience the northern safari areas of Zimbabwe and get a feel for the power of the Zambezi.
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Fishing in Zimbabwe
Visitors travel from across the globe to Northern Zimbabwe to try their hand at catching one of the most iconic of fresh water game fish: the Tiger Fish. Ten-pound plus tigers are a common catch on the waters of Kariba and the wider Zambezi.
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Walking Safari
Zimbabwe is one of the best places in Africa to experience walking in the bush. The guides are of the highest quality, the game is fantastic and the different environments, throughout the country, are well suited for exploring on foot.
Holiday Ideas
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Zimbabwe for Teenagers
Victoria Falls, Mana Pools & Hwange
from £4200 pp inc flights & transfers for 9 nights
- Enjoy the activities that are on offer in The Victoria Falls from bungy jumping to white water rafting to seeing the mighty Victoria Falls
- Fantastic game viewing in Mana Pools and Hwange National Park
- Fantastic canoeing on the Zambezi River as you float past pods of hippo
Location & directions
Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe
On the bank of the Lower Zambezi River, downstream from Lake Kariba in Northern Zimbabwe.
How to get there
The easiest way to get to Mana Pools is by air, flying in to Mana Pools Airstrip. When organised in combination with Kanga Camp it is possible to use the Kanga airstrip and transfer from there down to the river. It is possible to drive from Harare and Lusaka, approximately 5 hours.
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