Zimbabwe Water & Wilderness

Hwange National Park * Mana Pools National Park

The Zimbabwe Water & Wilderness safari is a six-night fly-in journey that pairs two of Zimbabwe’s most scenic and wildlife-rich national parks : Hwange National Park and Mana Pools National Park. Carefully balanced between classic big-game viewing and water-wildlife paradise, this trip offers an attractive contrast of landscapes and safari styles.

Perfect for those seeking Zimbabwe’s highlights without a long time commitment.

Zimbabwe Water & Wilderness (6 nights) at a Glance:

• 3 nights The Hide or Deteema Springs, Hwange National Park, Fully Inclusive (which ones is used depends on the season)
• 3 nights Mana River Camp (or Ingwe Pans), Mana Pools National Park, Fully Inclusive

Safari Description

Your journey begins in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest and oldest protected area. Its vast scale supports a remarkable diversity of habitats, from southern acacia scrub bordering the Kalahari to mopane woodlands, open plains, and granite outcrops in the north. Hwange is renowned for its prolific wildlife, particularly enormous elephant herds, as well as lion, buffalo, and plenty of plains game.

You then fly north to Mana Pools National Park, one of Africa’s most iconic wilderness areas (plus a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Set along the banks of the Zambezi River, Mana Pools is defined by its sweeping floodplains, lush riverine forests, and dramatic escarpment backdrop. During the dry season, wildlife congregates along the river, creating wonderful opportunities to observe elephant, buffalo, hippo, crocodile, and antelope at close range. They concentrate along the river when the inland waterholes dry up, especially in the dry winter months.Mana Pools is celebrated for its intimate safari experiences, including walking safaris, boating and canoeing in the riverine environment.

Personalise to Suit You

This itinerary is deliberately flexible. Victoria Falls is excluded so you can decide how long and where to stay before or after your safari.

A range of alternative lodges is available in both Hwange and Mana Pools, allowing the experience to be tailored to your preferred safari style and budget. You can also use Somalisa Expeditions Camp in Hwange and Kanga Camp in Mana Pools which is similar in price in high season (slightly higher).

We can bring this safari price down a little by using shuttle charter flights (but these are at set times and also land twice at Lake Kariba en route so much less convenient.

Upgrade Example: Below we show an Upgrade option using Somalisa Camp in Hwange and Nyamatusi Camp in Mana Pools.

Extension to Matobo Hills:

An extension to Camp Amalinda in the Matobo Hills National Park is also highly recommended, adding dramatic scenery and cultural heritage.

Good to Know:

• Most Mana Pools camps operate seasonally from April/May to October. However Nyamatusi Camp See Upgrade option is the one exception.
• So November & December departures are based at Nyamatusi Camp, the only lodge open year-round