On arrival at Harare you will be met by a representative of Doug Macdonald's Safaris for your transfer to your lodgings for tonite. Here you will be able to meet the other members of the group and enjoy a comfortable evening in pleasant surrounds of Harare's suburbs.
After breakfast you will be transferred back to Harare airport for the charter flight that will take you to Mana Pools - this flight is about 90mins. When you arrive you sChitake Springs campsite is set right next to the edge of the river which is fed by an extraordinary natural spring that is the only source of water in this remote area of Mana Pools. The camp is quite simple due to limited space at the site and the sensitivity of the area so we have shared ablutions and showers to minimize our impact on this area.
While at Chitake most of our activities will be done on foot around the Spring area and the surrounding bush. Highlights here are the big herds of buffalo that come to drink during the course of the day and night and large numbers of impala that gather to drink together. During the night it is usually very noisy with the Lion, Hyena and Elephant interactions so it can make a stay here very exciting.
After breakfast today we will pack up and head for the Mana Pools Flood Plain. It will be a game drive all the way across the Zambezi Valley, our plan being to get to camp late morning before it gets too hot.
During this transfer we shall stopover at meet some of the anti poaching teams that you have helped fund and you can see how the project works and who the people involved are.
Our camp here will have nice walk in safari tents with en suite shower and loo facilities set up on the banks of Zambezi in the heart of Mana Pools Flood Plain.
During our time in Mana Pools we will do a combination of game drives and walks but the focus will be spending as much time as possible on foot to get some of the best photo opportunities and complete flexibility with our game viewing.
Heat is a factor at this time of year so we generally try and get the day going as early as possible to do as much as we can before the heat gets too much. However we might also have the chance of some rain - this is always one of the most beautiful things to see in the bush at the end of the long dry period to see the bush transform with some rain.
By this time of year the flood plain area and along the Zambezi is really the only available food and water for the animals so its also the focus area for the predators, key of which is to see the wild dogs hunting along the floodplain and hopefully moving with their puppies as well.
A complete change of pace today - we will move back inland to Kanga Pan. This is an incredible spot and a real armchair type of safari destination, A great way to finish off a safari in Mana Pools in a very comfortable safari camp - sitting watching a very busy waterhole that attracts a steady stream of animals and at times there is great action you have to keep your camera and binoculars at the ready here.
Your flight today back to Harare will be timed to meet your International flights. Please be aware though at this time of year because of the general temperatures the charter companies generally like to get the flights out of Mana as early as possible - the norm is having you back to Harare by mid morning.
