Upcoming trip · Mana Pools National Park

Mana Pools & the Zambezi — Canoe & Walking Safari

Paddle the Zambezi at eye level with hippos and walk among elephants with expert guides — Zimbabwe's wildest corner, done properly.

Dates

18 Sept 2026 – 21 Sept 2026

Duration

4 days

Region

Mana Pools National Park

Price

From US$780

Mana Pools in September is Africa at its most cinematic. The floodwaters have retreated, game concentrates along the Zambezi, and the light turns everything gold.

This is not a drive-through safari. We get low — canoeing the river channels on two mornings and tracking on foot with professional guides the rest. Evenings are campfire dinners under absurd stars.

Who is this trip for

Anyone reasonably fit who wants the wild version of Zimbabwe. No previous paddling experience needed — every canoe has a trained guide.

Day by day

Day 1
Harare → Chirundu, onto the water

Early departure, brunch en route, safety briefing and a slow first paddle along the shoreline to camp.
Day 2
Canoe safari, full day

Drift past hippo pools and buffalo herds. Birdlife everywhere — carmine bee-eaters nest in the banks this time of year.
Day 3
Walking safari in the floodplain

A morning on foot with a licensed pro guide — elephant, impala and (from a respectful distance) predators. Afternoon at leisure, sundowner on the river.
Day 4
Final paddle & home

Short morning walk, brunch, and back on the road to Harare by evening.