Mana Pools Walking Safari Zimbabwe | Expert Guide & Safety
Zimbabwe Walking Safaris: Explore Hwange and Mana Pools on Foot
There is a special kind of magic about trekking in the African wilderness – and possibly nowhere does it better than Zimbabwe.
This country has long been considered one of the best walking safari locations in Africa because to the highly competent guides and the different landscapes of the national parks. At Kabira Safaris, we feel there is no better way to be close to the wild than on foot, and Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park and Mana Pools National Park provide two different but equally remarkable experiences.
Exceptional Guiding is at the Heart of a Zimbabwe Walking Safari
Zimbabwe’s professional guides are among the most trained and renowned in Africa. The country’s strict guiding certifications require years of study, apprenticeships and gruelling practical exams. The result is walking safaris that are competently handled but also rich in knowledge and storytelling. Tracking lions through the teak woods of Hwange or witnessing elephants silently cross the Zambezi floodplain in Mana Pools, the experience and enthusiasm of your guide will bring the scenery to life like few others can.
1. Mana Pools National Park: A Wilderness Icon
Further north along the Zambezi River, Mana Pools National Park offers a unique walking safari experience. Mana Pools is one of Africa’s most atmospheric parks and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is renowned for its ancient mahogany and albida trees, open floodplains and stunning escarpment views.
Why is Mana Pools so special? It is the feeling of freedom. Walking safaris are often the main activity here, not a sideline. At dawn you may follow a pride of lions, or silently observe the park’s famous bull elephants, known for standing on their hind legs to reach high branches. The closeness of walking up to wildlife on foot, led by guides with a sixth sense of the bush, is something that sticks with you long after your safari is over.
Camps like Wilderness Chikwenya and Zambezi Expeditions offer great walking options, and the riverine backdrop of the area adds another dimension, from paddling safaris to hikes along the bank of the Zambezi.
A walking safari is so much more than just huge game It’s about taking it leisurely and melting into the landscape. You’ll learn how to detect tracks, plants, birds and the subtle clues of the presence of wildlife. It’s an opportunity to see Africa’s wilderness in its rawest and most real form, with some of the best guides in the business by your side.
At Kabira Safaris Africa we excel in designing safari itineraries to the soul of each destination. Whether it’s tracking elephants down the trails of Mana Pools or walking the golden plains of Hwange, we’ll build an expedition to suit your speed and sense of adventure.
2. Hwange National Park: Classic Big Game Country
Hwange is Zimbabwe’s biggest national park and one of the best hidden secrets for walking safaris. The park is known for its huge savannas, acacia woods and dense teak forests and is home to approximately 40,000 elephants and strong populations of lion, leopard and buffalo. Walking you’ll get the fine nuances you can miss in a vehicle – the smell of wild basil, the alarm call of an impala or the complex trails of a passing civet.
The walking safaris in Hwange are often centred around the areas of seasonal pans and waterholes where the animals congregate. The landscape is varied and very open, good for safe observation of big wildlife on foot. Many of the sites in Hwange – including Hwange Bush Camp, Camp Hwange and Wilderness Little Makalolo – offer excellent walking experiences with some of the country’s most talented guides.