Greater Mana Expedition

Mana Pools National Park is synonymous with the Zambezi River, elephants, lions, remoteness and wilderness. 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.

The name "Mana'' means "four" in the local Shona language. This applies to the four large pools inland from the Zambezi River. These 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 pools, extending some 6 km in a west-east direction. This pool has a large population of hippo and crocodiles and is a favorite for the large herds of elephant that come out of the thickly vegetated areas in the south to drink.

The 118,000-hectare private Sapi Concession was awarded to Great Plains Conservation to manage and look after in 2016 and was immediately converted to operating as a private photographic reserve. This amazing wildlife sanctuary, along with the neighbouring Mana Pools National Park, comprise over 337,000 hectares of prime protected wilderness. Collectively they form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the core of the Middle-Zambezi Biosphere Reserve. Sapi Explorers Camp, perfectly located along the Zambezi River, offers a base to explore the Sapi Reserve, Mana Pools and the Zambezi River. With only 5 Explorers-style tents (one of which is a 2 bedroom family-unit) each with en-suite bucket shower and flush toilet, Sapi Explorers Camp offers the perfect combination of comfort, adventure and discovery. The focus of your stay is exploring one of Africa’s remote wilderness areas on foot and on wildlife-viewing drives as well as canoeing and boating on the Zambezi River. Guests have the opportunity to experience up-close encounters with elephant, lion, leopard, hyena, wild dog, buffalo, eland, zebra and other ungulate species. Explore the Zambezi River by canoe and boat, watch as wildlife congregates along the river to drink and marvel at the setting of the African sun.