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flowing sedately on its way to the Indian Ocean, after changing its course and leaving behind uncharacteristic terraces and pools – the ox-bow lakes.
This river holds many secrets and was a major route for trade in ivory and slaves in the dark past.
This last vestige of natural habitat is synonymous with the Zambezi River, elephants, lions, remoteness and wilderness.
The most outstanding feature is how the Zambezi River in those ancient times left behind four ox-bow lakes that have become the ultimate tourist attraction, hence the name Mana.
“Mana” in the Shona language means “four” and this applies to the four large pools inland from the Zambezi River, hence the name Mana Pools.
The 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.
“Long Pool” is the largest of the four, extending some 6km in a east-west direction.
Attracted by the touristy side, many tour operators built lodges and camps over the years but recently, the Zambezi River burst its banks and reclaimed its old course, for the first time in years flooding buildings, most of them to roof level.
Heavy rains aided by the opening of the floodgates on Lake Kariba saw the National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and private operators evacuate their workers in an unprecedented flooding.
With five sluice gates opened to ease pressure from the Kariba Dam, and releasing about 8 000 cubic metres per second downstream, the new channel could not take it, and it burst.
These pools have heavy densities of hippo and crocodiles and are a favourite for the large herds of elephant that come out of the thickly vegetated areas in the south to drink water and this in itself has attracted tour operators.
Mana Pools remains a World Heritage Site as per the listing under Unesco, courtesy of the sound management practices attributed to the dedicated staff on the ground.
Despite all the life-threatening conditions such as malaria, sleeping sickness and other conditions associated with the Zambezi Valley environment, resident staff have continued to give their best in terms of their dedication to duty.
It is only recently that staff at Mana Pools had a clinic constructed for them by Tashinga Initiative Foundation through funding from the Australian Embassy in Harare.
Mana Pools is reachable from Morongora near Chirundu.
As one moves northwards towards the Zambezi River from the dry forests, the vegetation changes to open woodland on the old river terraces.
This vegetation gives a “park-like” appearance to the area and a surreal light filters through the trees giving Mana Pools its distinctive cathedral-like atmosphere as one walks under the tree canopy.
On the old river terraces in the park, tourists can walk unaccompanied by guides in the open Albida woodland because visibility is good and there is little danger of coming across dangerous animals.
This privilege of walking alone in an area with dangerous wildlife is unique in Zimbabwe.
Elephants, elands, buffaloes, impalas, water-bucks, baboons, monkeys, zebras, warthogs and hippos are some of the larger herbivores to be seen regularly on the river terraces as they come out to eat the fallen marula fruit.
Lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and cheetahs are present in the area, but their secretive nature makes them more difficult to see.
Despite this, it is not often that the visitor leaves Mana Pools without seeing at least one of these large carnivores.
This unique park is a World Heritage Site based on its wildness and beauty, together with the wide range of large mammals, over 350 bird species and aquatic wildlife.
According to National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, Mana Pools is 2 196 square kilometres in extent but is part of the 10 500 square kilometres Parks Wildlife Estate that runs from the Kariba Dam in the west to the Mozambique border in the east.
This large area is without physical boundaries and the wildlife is free to move wherever it wants to roam — even northwards across the Zambezi River into Zambia, where there are also large wilderness areas set aside for wildlife conservation.
When flooding took place, it affected almost every tourist facility.
The facilities include lodges, a communal campsite with ablution facilities, exclusive campsites where the visitor can be alone.
The more upmarket registered tour operators can package their tours providing transport, food, accommodation and activities in Mana Pools.
There are five lodges in the park, all located along the Zambezi River.
There are two large lodges situated a short distance upstream from Nyamepi Camp, Musangu and Muchichiri.
These lodges have bathrooms and shower facilities with hot and cold running water, toilets and a fully fitted kitchen with stove and deep-freezer and utensils such as cutlery and crockery.
All bedding facilities and towels are supplied.
There is a large dining room, lounge and outside is a braai area with seating facilities where one can view the river and the wildlife coming down to drink, or simply watch the African sun setting over the Zambezi River.
There are also three four-bed lodges, all under thatch grass.
Each lodge has two bedrooms with two beds each, a shower and toilet and seating areas outside near the Zambezi River.
There is one large communal campsite along the Zambezi River, and a number of exclusive campsites where visitors can ensure their solitude.
The Nyamepi camping area, along the Zambezi River is situated near the Mana Pools National Park reception office.
Visitors need to bring their own camping equipment, bedding, toiletries, cooking implements, etc.
There are ablution blocks nearby with hot and cold running water, flush toilets and laundry basins. Visitors can buy firewood at the reception office, and each campsite has a braai area where one can cook.
This camping ground has 30 sites.
There are a number of exclusive campsites situated along the Zambezi River in the park.
These camps are for the visitor who seeks solitude, and who want to experience the wildness and the challenges of the bush. There is a braai stand at each site, and a rudimentary toilet.
Water is collected from the river or the reception office.
Visitors to these sites need to be fully self-equipped and self-reliant and be able to handle the remoteness and solitude of these unique camps. The camps are only allowed two vehicles and 12 persons per stay.
Water may be drawn from the river.
At Mucheni, 8km west of Nyamepi, there are four secluded campsites.
Nkupe, just over one kilometre east of Nyamepi, has one campsite, while Ndungu, just east of the “car park” area, has two camp sites. There is also New Ndungu, about 4km west of Old Ndungu. It has two campsites.
Gwaya, a short distance upstream from the lodges, has one campsite, with a cold water shower, flush toilet and basin and a braai stand.
There are also wild exclusive campsites.
There are two completely wild camping sites located in the southern sector of the park close to Chitake Spring, near the foothills of the Zambezi Escarpment.
The check-in point for these camps is at Nyakasikana Gate.
Both campsites do not have any facilities and are only accessible with four-wheel-drive vehicles.
Chitake Camp 1 is located 150 metres downstream from the Chitake River crossing under a large
Natal mahogany tree near the river.
Chitake Camp 2 (Shumba) is situated near a baobab tree with a fabulous view of the spring where all wildlife activity takes place.
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