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| Zimbabwe: What to see | |||
| Mana Pools National Park | |||
>see photographs Best known for It is an incredibly beautiful Park and is a World Heritage Site. The elephants foraging on the rich protein pods of the tall Acacia albida trees are a classic Mana Pools sight. Mana Pools is the only National Park in Zimbabwe where it is permitted to walk without a guide – one should still exercise extreme caution as these are wild animals and are potentially dangerous. Location Mana Pools National Park is located north east of Lake Kariba in the Zambezi Valley on the southern banks of the Zambezi River (which forms the border with Zambia), and rising in the south to the top of the escarpment up to 1 000 metres off the Valley floor. Size Mana Pools covers 2 196 square km. The adjoining safari area covers a total of 4 570 square km. Wildlife There is an incredible amount and diversity of wildlife in this reserve, and particularly in the dry months of September and October when the animals move closer to the river. Four of the big five can be seen here: lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo; as well as hippo, waterbuck, impala, zebra, eland, kudu, and over 380 species of bird life. The birds found here include Lilian's lovebird, Livingstone's flycatchers, kingfishers, herons, bee eaters, fish eagles, hornbills (including the ground hornbill), and coucals. Environment The Zambezi River has left behind old channels which fill in the rainy season Ð these gave the area the name "Mana Pools". The escarpment rises from the plateau of the valley through which the Zambezi River plots its ever-changing course. Vegetation Huge mahogany and acacia trees fringe the bank of the river, and inland the vast Valley floor is covered with mopane woodland, acacia and dry thickets known as Jesse bush. There are also fig trees, rain trees and tamarinds. Two more unusual tree species found here are the Sausage tree with its sausage shaped fruit weighing up to 10kg, and the peculiar "upside down" Baobab trees. Climate There are three main seasons in this tropical climate: a hot rainy season from mid November to March, a cool dry season from May to August, and a dry very hot season from September to November. Most days are sunny. Mean annual temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, and in September and October the daytime temperatures can be as high as 40 degrees Celsius. Evenings are cooler. When to go Mana Pools National Park is only open during the dry season usually from May to November but varying slightly annually from season to season. It is closed during the rainy season from November to April. Avoid the school holiday period in August when the campsites are particularly crowded. Activities Game drives, game walks and canoe safaris. At the private safari lodges the walking safaris are professionally guided Ð in the rest of the Park one can walk unaccompanied. Accommodation There are two private camps called Chikwenya Safari Lodge and Ruckomechi, as well as private operators who have set up camps in more remote areas of the Park. The National Park campsites are all sited on the Zambezi River and are called Nyamepi, Mucheni, Nkupe, Ndungu and Vundu. One needs to bring all ones own provisions, camping equipment and fuel to stay at these camps. How to get there By road Drive west from Harare through Chinhoyi, Karoi and Makuti. Soon after Makuti the National Parks Headquarters can be seen on the left at Marongora. One then travels down the escarpment and not far from the foot of the escarpment is a well signposted turning to the right for Mana Pools National Park. Being a dirt road it does sometimes get into a bad condition and at these times one needs to proceed with caution. By air There are two airstrips within the Park: one at the Park Headquarters, and a second at Chikwenya. Precautions There is a limit to the number of vehicles allowed into the Park so availability needs to be checked with Park Headquarters. Tsetse flies can be troublesome and have an irritating bite Ð wear insect repellent to avoid bites from these and mosquitoes. Preventative and prophylactic measures should be taken for malaria. For campers, wild animals such as hyena and baboons can be very destructive in their attempts to find food. The best measures for food protection is a padlocked metal trunk. |
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