mana pools national park
This wild and beautiful park is the only game park in Zimbabwe to be granted a World Heritage Status. It is home to a wide variety of large mammals, lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas, over 350 bird species and aquatic wildlife. Mana Pools is one of Zimbabwe's most popular parks.
This national park has been set aside to be kept as wild as possible with only non-invasive, zero-impact tourism allowed. There are no safari lodges, generators, electric fences or other structures associated with safari camps as these are banned by law. All mobile camps must be taken down the day clients depart to ensure minimal damage to the ecosystem.
The name 'Mana' means 'four' in the local Shona language - there are four large pools inland from the Zambezi River. These pools are the remnant ox-bow lakes that the Zambezi River carved out thousands of years ago as it changed its course northwards. Hippopotamus, crocodiles and a wide variety of aquatic birds are associated with the pools.
Mana Pools National Park is one of Zimbabwe’s most popular parks, being home to an abundance of game as well as 350 bird species and a variety of aquatic wildlife. ‘Long Pool’ - the largest of the four lakes within the park - has a healthy population of hippos and crocodiles, and visitors can often see a large heard of elephants that come out of the thickly vegetated areas in the south to drink. Mana Pools National Park has an abundance of wild dogs (currently around one hundred adults) as well as smaller populations of buffalos, zebras, lions and hyenas. During the night, visitors can also spot honey badgers exploring the camps.
