Hotels in Mana Pools | Timbuktu Travel

Nyamatusi Camp

Mana Pools

Popular |

6 Rooms

From $630 per person/night

Treading in the paths of explorers in Zimbabwe's wild Mana Pools

One of the most diverse safari regions in Africa is Mana Pools National Park, with its rich variety of habitats: sprawling wetlands, riverine forests, open plains and the four large permanent pools for which the park is named (mana means 'four' in Shona). Set in a belt of mature forest on the edge of a crook of the Zambezi, Nyamatusi is a brand-new lodge, elegant and understated, and designed with natural materials so that nothing gets between guests and the frankly sensational views. With just six tents, this intimate setting offers down-to-earth, attentive hospitality in an unforgettable World Heritage Site.

Tembo Plains Camp

Mana Pools

4 Rooms

From $1.3K per person/night

A jazzy camp on the Zambezi River with private pools, boating safaris and photo ops galore

Just east of Zimbabwe's famous Mana Pools, sits the Sapi Private Reserve where vast and lush forests hide furtive leopard, and herds of elephant are seen wallowing in the Zambezi River. Named after Africa's magnificent tuskers, Tembo Plains takes its cue from nature, with meal times to suit your safari and sublime river views from bed. There are few other properties with as many luxe points in the area, and with only four tents, you'll feel suitably spoiled. Tembo Plains is just the place to embrace the wild, then return for evenings spent in the utmost comfort.

Ruckomechi Camp

Mana Pools

Popular |

10 Rooms

From $1K per person/night

One of Africa's wildest, most diverse, remote and luxurious safari offerings.

Ruckomechi is, quite simply, one of Zimbabwe's best high-end safari options. Its location, perched on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, overlooking Zambia's Great Rift Mountains, makes it difficult to beat for scenery. The many different activities which let you experience this pristine wilderness, are second to none. The wildlife is abundant and diverse. The guides are well-trained. The camp is luxurious in every way, including the sense of space around you and your immersion in it. If you're looking for a reason to go to Zimababwe, besides seeing Victoria Falls, this is it. The camp is open from the end of April to November (closed December-April).

Little Ruckomechi Camp

Mana Pools

3 Rooms

From $1K per person/night

Wild, remote, intimate and luxurious - Africa at it's best.

Little Ruckomechi opened in July 2016 and, thanks in part to its sister camp's reputation (a few kilometers upstream), is already widely recognized as one of Zimbabwe's most luxurious and productive safari options. Its prime location on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, overlooking Zambia's Great Rift Mountains, puts it right at the top of the pile of scenically beautiful camps. There's an array of activities on offer, ensuring you can make the most of any visit. The wildlife is abundant and diverse. The guides are well-trained. The camp displays a sense of simple, refined luxury and the sense of space around you is a luxury in itself. This is the perfect accompaniment to a trip to Victoria Falls but do note the camp is only open from the end of April to November.

Goliath Safaris

Mana Pools

6 Rooms

From $1.2K per person/night

'Stretch' the safari limits under the seasoned watch of Zim's famous guide.

With his decades of bush experience, charismatic persona and particular knowledge of one of Zimbabwe's most pristine wilderness areas, Stretch Ferreira has gained a solid following over the years. Indeed, guests return time and again to be lead through the heart of Mana Pools National Park by this exemplar guide. Accompanying Stretch on a walk is the pinnacle of a stay at Goliath Safaris Camp, though a visit will undoubtedly incorporate game drives, canoe trips on the Zambezi and fishing excursions, if you wish. This semi-permanent camp offers all the basic necessities and some extra luxuries but truth be told your out-of-camp experience is the real reason to pay it a visit.

Vundu Camp

Mana Pools

Popular |

8 Rooms

From $750 per person/night

World-class guiding and adventure in the heart of Mana Pools.

Vundu has made a name for itself over the years, largely thanks to its high standard of guiding. The camp occupies a prime position on the banks of the Zambezi River in Mana Pools National Park. It's operated by the owners who still do a large amount of the guiding. The activities here are diverse and the guides pride themselves on giving guests quality experiences in the bush whether you're on foot, in a vehicle or in a canoe.

Sapi Explorers Camp

Mana Pools

5 Rooms

From $650 per person/night

Raw, romantic wilderness in Zimbabwe's greater Mana Pools region

Set on the banks of the Zambezi River in northern Zimbabwe's rich and varied Sapi Concession, this charming little camp distils safari in the best possible way. With just five tents and a handful of dedicated staff, including an expert guide, Sapi Explorers Camp displays the adventurous atmosphere and true ardour of those heady days of early safari explorers. Here, you're in a 120,000-hectare private sanctuary that was once a hunting concession, but is now a photographic destination. It flows into neighbouring Mana Pools National Park, a wildliife treasure trove – giving visitors access to 337,000 hectares of prime wilderness.

Zambezi Expeditions

Mana Pools

Popular |

4 Rooms

From $630 per person/night

An exclusive mobile camp overlooking Mana Pools & the Great Zambezi River.

Those who have visited Zimbabwe's Mana Pools will assure you that it's one of the most spellbinding places on earth. The Mana Pools National Park is a World Heritage Site known for its wildlife-rich flood plains and spectacular views of the Zambezi River. It's also an unmatched destination for game-drives, bush walks and canoeing safaris. Zambezi Expeditions - a luxury mobile camp set up alongside the floodplains of Mana Pools - brings you as close as possible to the magic. This 12-bedded camp takes 'glamping' to new heights and forms the perfect base for an adventurous wilderness retreat.

Sapi Springs Camp

Mana Pools

3 Rooms

From $950 per person/night

It's wildlife central at this remote concession adjacent to Mana Pools

Built into a riverine forest, Sapi Springs will captivate you with its simple charms and stripped-down atmosphere. This small camp sits beside the seasonal Sapi River in the Sapi Concession, which shares an unfenced border with Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park. Taken together, the area comprises 337,000 hectares of wilderness so special that it's been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For us, the lack of lavish trim, the size (there are just three rooms), and the small complement of staff give Sapi Springs just the right chord of rustic romance. You won't be disappointed.

Nyamatusi Mahogany

Mana Pools

4 Rooms

From $630 per person/night

Family-friendly lodge in Mana Pools' wilderness of forest and wetlands

Mana Pools National Park is one of Africa's most dynamic wilderness areas, with habitats that include sprawling wetlands, riverine forests, open plains and, of course, its four large permanent pools (mana means 'four' in Shona). Nyamatusi Mahogany sits in a mature forest on the edge of the Zambezi River. It's an intimate camp, with room for just four families, but the accommodation is spacious and well-planned. Kid- and family-friendly activities are the speciality here, and it's a real treat to share one of the most raw, pristine wilderness areas in this corner of the world with your family.

Ruwesi Canoe Trails

Mana Pools

4 Rooms

From $1.1K per person/night

Get a magical perspective on the wilderness on a Zambezi canoe safari

Fancy a wilderness thrill of a lifetime? Paddling the Zambezi in a custom-built kayak, stopping to explore the floodplains on foot or on a game drive, and experiencing the rugged wilderness of Mana Pools National Park – that's pure adventure. No paddling skills are necessary, just be prepared for close-up wildlife encounters with huge numbers of elephant, a healthy predator population, and vast pods of hippo in the river. At the end of each day a fly camp awaits, with comfortable tents, ice-cold sundowners and a hearty fireside dinner beneath the stars. Tours run between April and November.

Greater Mana Expeditions

Mana Pools

3 Rooms

From $1.4K per person/night

6-night walking & canoe expedition through a secret, untouched wilderness

This experience is sadly no longer operational. Get in touch to find out about other canoeing experiences in Mana Pools. Mana Pools National Park and the private Sapi Concession in northern Zimbabwe are part of a world heritage site that protects some of the most pristine and beautiful big-game wilderness in Africa. In 2016 the concession was awarded to Great Plains Conservation, a high-end eco-tourism outfitter owned and operated by the award-wining photographers and film-makers, Beverly and Dereck Joubert. The vast majority of this area is only traversable on foot, and thus, the idea for a 'Great Mana Expedition' was born. This 6-night safari aims to recreate the experience of Africa's great explorers, and will make you feel as if you're the only people to ever traverse the landscape. But don't worry, there's more than a little dose of style and comfort thrown in too...

Little Vundu Camp

Mana Pools

8 Rooms

Intimate, authentic tented camp with prime river frontage in Mana Pools.

Slightly more rustic, Little Vundu is three kilometres upstream from Vundu main camp. It has recently undergone a complete refurbishment, but the real luxury here is its intimacy. Adding to this is the exciting range of activities on offer and the excellent standard of guiding you'll receive. And then there's the setting - right on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River in the centre of Zimbabwe's exquisite Mana Pools National Park. The up-close, personal experience of wildlife and wilderness you'll have here makes it one of the best options in the region.

Kanga Expeditions

Mana Pools

6 Rooms

From $630 per person/night

Tasteful old-world safari in a remote region of Zimbabwe's Mana Pools.

Owned by Beks Ndlovu, a highly regarded veteran Zimbabwean guide, Kanga offers a traditional-style safari atmosphere with all the convenience of a modern-day one. In addition to game drives and water-based activities, expert guides lead guests on foot, tracking wildlife and observing the nuances of the bush from the ground level - a rare and special experience. Situated on a private concession within Mana Pools National Park, the camp itself is uniquely positioned on the very productive Kanga Pan, a good distance from the far more frequented Zambezi riverbank. Inaccessible during the rainy season, Kanga is only open from April to October. An intimate camp of just twelve beds, you won't find a place more exclusive or a more magical safari setting.

Mana Canoe Trail

Mana Pools

4 Rooms

From $1.5K per person/night

Thrills and tranquility in equal measure on this Zambezi River canoe trail.

This three-night adventure stretches 65 km and traverses pristine wilderness areas of two countries, Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park and Zambia's Lower Zambezi National Park. Canoeing the mighty Zambezi can be as peaceful as it is thrilling, with over 1200 hippos dwelling along the route, crocodiles galore, elephants and birdlife in abundance and of course the host of other wildlife attracted to the river's waters. This journey is the real McCoy and not for the faint of heart, though no prior river experience is required - just a reasonable level of fitness and an appetite for adventure (oh, and a minimum age of 14). Two expert walking and river-qualified guides will accompany up to eight guests (some of the most experienced in the business), while a separate, land-based support crew erects the simple mobile fly camp at each evening destination along the river. This is an authentic safari experience that is as good as it gets for some, and too-close for comfort for others.

John's Camp

Mana Pools

5 Rooms

From $740 per person/night

Top guiding with a personal touch from a safari veteran in Mana Pools

Northern Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park is one of Africa's most awe-inspiring destinations, with its dynamic Zambezi River-carved landscape, huge numbers of wildlife and many ways to explore it all. Here, brand-new John's Camp from industry veteran Robin Pope Safaris is a simple but pretty luxurious semi-permanent tented camp, with excellent guides and an emphasis on intimate in-the-bush experiences. At Mana Pools, you're allowed to explore the wilderness and its game on foot, unaccompanied. But at John's Camp (named for experienced safari guide John Stevens) you'll always be escorted by one of the best guides in the business.

Chikwenya Safari Lodge

Mana Pools

9 Rooms

From $1.1K per person/night

Vamped-up lodge in Zimbabwe's heavenly Mana Pools region.

Chikwenya Safari Lodge hugs the eastern edge of Mana Pools National Park in a private 12,000-acre (almost 5000-hectare) concession of seasonal lakes, sprawling floodplains, dense woodlands and, of course, the powerful Zambezi River. Open from April to mid-November, the lodge allows all forms of exploration – day and night game drives, guided walks, and boat trips. The lodge is surrounded by a forest of albida trees, whose seedpods draw elephants in the dry season. Other wildlife is particularly rewarding too. With its simple, bush-friendly architecture and light-handed decor, Chikwenya is a more-than-comfortable safari base.

Kavinga Safari Camp

Mana Pools

7 Rooms

From $770 per person/night

An intimate camp with thrilling wild dog action in Zimbabwe's Mana Pools.

On the cliffs overlooking the Ruckomechi riverbed and the Zambezi escarpment, this small camp offers a different take on Zimbabwe's much-loved Mana Pools National Park. Set in a private concession within the park, the camp allows for completely flexible game viewing (it isn't bound by daylight hours, i.e. night drives are permissible). It also offers warm, unpretentious hospitality. The Ruckomechi River, the broad, grassy floodplains and the mahogany and ebony forests are exquisite, as is the diverse wildlife these ecosystems support – elephant, lion, leopard, hippo and crocs galore to a host of aquatic and bird species.

Mana River Camp

Mana Pools

From $630 per person/night

Located in the heart of the Zambezi River area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you will find Mana River Camp – one of the most friendly and comfortable safari camps in the country. Notorious too for its delicious cuisine! Providing a warm family atmosphere of a home-away-from-home, the camps are owned and managed by Machaba Safaris - and their dedicated team. The camps offer a comfortable, homely and authentic safari experience where guests are welcomed with warmth and pleasure. Wildlife highlights include herds of buffalo and elephant, leopards, lions and packs of African wild dogs.

Mana Shoreline Canoeing

Mana Pools

The Mana Shoreline Canoe Safari is a luxurious mobile camp where you leave camp with the sunrise and leisurely canoe your way to the next camp. Floating into camp with the sunset you will find an ice cold drink, hot shower and dinner being prepared. This 3 night, 4 day safari follows the Zambezi River through the Mana Pools National Park. Canoeing offers guests a unique way of viewing game, you can glide up to elephants crossing the Zambezi and watch game coming down to the Rive to drink. Canoeing begins near the confluence of the Ruckomechi River and Zambezi River and continues along the Mana Pools shoreline to Illala Camp across from Chikwenya Island in the Mana Pools ‘Wilderness Area.

Chitake Mobile Camp

Mana Pools

Chitake Mobile Camp is located in the wild Chitake area close to the Chitake Spring, famous for its fantastic wildlife and amazing close up encounters with animals. As it is only one of three camps in the area, and with a maximum of 6 guests at a time, it is a truly immersive and exclusive experience.

Mana Sands Main Camp

Mana Pools

6 Rooms

From $850 per person/night

Tucked beneath the trees, overlooking a glorious floodplain that leads to the great Zambezi and its timeless escarpment, Mana Sands Main Camp offers an experience that is both elevated and grounding. With spacious tented suites, private plunge pools, and curated comfort throughout, every detail invites you to slow down and connect—immersed in the quiet power of Mana Pools.

Molori Mashuna

Mana Pools

8 Rooms

From $1.7K per person/night

Molori Mashuma is brand new exquisite tented camp offering unrestricted access to the untamed wilderness of Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe.Situated on the banks of Mashuma Pan, this luxury camp has six gorgeously appointed tented suites, each with a private deck, en-suite bathroom and outdoor shower. Two Family suites comfortably accommodate up to four adults and include a private pool. A few kilometres inland from the Zambezi River, Molori Mashuma is located in a tranquil spot on the edge of Mashuma Pan. Our luxury tented camp is perfectly positioned for game viewing and bird watching in absolute comfort. Guests can hope to see hippo, elephant, buffalo and a myriad of bird species in a peaceful setting in the game rich concession.

Camp Mana

Mana Pools

From $680 per person/night

Camp Mana is an owner run, intimate, 12-bed tented camp, operating annually from April through to November. From its magnificent location in Mana Pools National Park the camp overlooks a fertile floodplain leading onto the Zambezi River. Renowned for its mystical light, romantic sunsets, large numbers of elephants, buffalo and especially painted dogs, this is undoubtedly the best destination to experience the original walking and canoe safari.

Hideaways Mhara River Camp

Mana Pools

6 Rooms

From $540 per person/night

A wild corner of Mana Pools where lions roam through camp and the crowds don't.

While most visitors to Mana Pools head for the famous Zambezi floodplains, those in the know make a beeline inland to the Chitake River system – and it's here you'll find this raw, unfiltered gem. Perched on a bluff 50 metres above the dry riverbed, Mhara occupies a private concession that was untouched for centuries before the camp opened in 2022. The wildlife action is nothing short of extraordinary: lion prides patrol the sands below, enormous buffalo herds kick up dust clouds as they thunder to the springs, and elephants dig for water mere metres from your tent. It's walking safari country at its finest, with the legendary Chitake Gorge on your doorstep and guides who grew up in this wilderness. Come here for proper bush immersion – the kind that leaves fresh lion tracks outside your tent each morning.

Ingwe Pan

Mana Pools

8 Rooms

From $630 per person/night

Ingwe Pan is situated at a secluded pan in the wilderness area of Mana Pools National Park, just a few kilometres inland of the Zambezi River and within walking distance of the Chiruwe river bed. The pan is one of the biggest in the park and is surrounded by a grove of large ebony trees. A magnificent fig and ancient ebony form the canopy of the main lounge and dining area of the camp. An ancient baobab is a few minutes walk from the camp and the perfect spot for picnics and sundowners in the evening. The camp comprises eight spacious and elegantly furnished tents tucked in amongst the trees on the edge of the pan, all with an uninterrupted view of the water.

Fish Eagle Safari

Mana Pools

From $160 per person/night

The Fisheagle Safari starts from Kariba, 8 km down stream from the Kariba Dam Wall and ends in Mana Pools National Park. The Safari travels 18 km through the Kariba Gorge after which the river opens up into the flood plains which are prolific in wildlife. Mana Pools National Park is a protected World Heritage Site. The Safari as a whole covers approximately 130 km from start to finish. Each day an average of 21.5 km will be paddled, however don’t let this daunt you, the current of the river will do most of the work for you so relax and take in the magnificent surroundings.

Mana Pools

Best hotels in Mana Pools

Nyamatusi Camp

Tembo Plains Camp

Ruckomechi Camp

Little Ruckomechi Camp

Goliath Safaris

Vundu Camp

Sapi Explorers Camp

Zambezi Expeditions

Sapi Springs Camp

Nyamatusi Mahogany

Ruwesi Canoe Trails

Greater Mana Expeditions

Little Vundu Camp

Kanga Expeditions

Mana Canoe Trail

John's Camp

Chikwenya Safari Lodge

Kavinga Safari Camp

Mana River Camp

Mana Shoreline Canoeing

Chitake Mobile Camp

Mana Sands Main Camp

Molori Mashuna

Camp Mana

Hideaways Mhara River Camp

Ingwe Pan

Fish Eagle Safari

More hotels

Camp Chitake

Camp Zambezi

The Wild Safaris

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