Mana means ‘four’ in one of Zimbabwe’s official languages, Shona. The park was named for the four large permanent pools left inland by the meanderings of the Zambezi River.

The flood plains of Mana Pools turn into a broad expanse of lakes after each rainy season. As the lakes dry up and recede, many large animals are attracted to the remaining four pools in search of water, making it one of Africa’s most renowned game-viewing regions.

This remarkably wild and beautiful area of river frontage, islands, sandbanks and pools, flanked by forests of mahogany, wild figs, ebonies and baobabs, is one of the least developed national parks in Southern Africa. However, it holds Zimbabwe’s biggest concentration of hippos, and crocodiles and supports large dry season mammal populations of zebra, elephant and cape buffalo. It is also home to lion, cheetah, wild dog, leopard and brown hyena.