A hand-picked selection of lodges and camps. Click through their name to visit their own website directly.
Tembo Plains Camp
Tembo Plains Camp is tucked into riverine forest on the Zambezi, in the private 128,000-hectare Sapi Private Reserve east of Mana Pools National Park. It is a Great Plains camp, and the only Zimbabwean safari camp that belongs to Relais & Châteaux. Four double suites each have an indoor lounge and a plunge pool, and the two-bedroom Zanji Suite shares a lounge, dining area and pool. Wild dog, lion and leopard are common here, buffalo cross the river, and the elephants give the camp its name. Days bring walks, boating, canoeing, drives and catch-and-release fishing, and guests are lent cameras and binoculars.
Nyamatusi Camp
Nyamatusi Camp stands on the Zambezi inside Mana Pools National Park, on the stretch of floodplain that made this a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Six tented suites are built in thatch and handwoven materials, each with a private plunge pool, air conditioning, indoor and outdoor showers and a deck facing the river. The main area has a pool, a wine cellar, a bar and a firepit. Walking is the reason to come, particularly for tracking wild dog, and there are also game drives, canoeing on the Zambezi, birding and catch-and-release fishing. Solar powered, guests twelve and over.
Nyamatusi Mahogany
Nyamatusi Mahogany is the family camp next to Nyamatusi, on the same stretch of the Zambezi in Mana Pools. Its tented suites include two family suites, each with a private plunge pool, air conditioning and indoor and outdoor showers, and there is a shared pool, a bar, a pizza oven and a firepit. Children of any age are welcome and the Ngwana Club fills their days with bush walks, birding, cooking, crafts and storytelling, but walking safaris and canoeing on the river are for guests of sixteen and over. Game drives, birding and fishing are open to everyone. Solar powered, built in thatch and local materials.
Kanga Expeditions
Kanga Expeditions sits inland in Mana Pools National Park, away from the Zambezi, beside Kanga Pan, which in the dry months is the only water within about twenty kilometres and brings the game to the camp rather than the other way round. Six tents and a family tent are solar powered, with mesh walls, outdoor showers and raised private verandas, and the honeymoon tent has a rolltop bath on its deck. The main deck looks over the pan, with a plunge pool, a firepit and a photographic hide at water level. Days are spent on game drives, walking safaris and birding, and a good deal of the viewing happens from camp itself, including after dark by spotlight. Guests twelve and over.
Tafika Camp
Tafika Camp sits on the Zambezi in the Sapi Safari Area, about 35 km downstream of Mana Pools National Park, with Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park directly across the water. Eight thatched chalets with river-facing verandas gather around a main lodge with a plunge pool and fire pit. The focus is tiger fishing, with more than 40 km of river to explore by boat with experienced guides, plus birding and game viewing from the water. It suits anglers, couples and small groups who want a quiet river stay far from other visitors.
Wilderness Chikwenya
Wilderness Chikwenya stands on a private concession on the eastern edge of Mana Pools National Park, looking over the Zambezi River, its floodplains and the Rift Valley escarpment. Seven tented suites include two family units, shaded by albida and mahogany trees. The main area has a bar, lounge and swimming pool. Activities include game drives by day and night, guided walks, boat cruises, canoeing and picnics on Chikwenya Island. The camp is open from April to November.
Wilderness Ruckomechi
Wilderness Ruckomechi stands on the banks of the Zambezi River on a private concession bordering the west of Mana Pools National Park. Ten en-suite tents include two family units, and the camp takes a maximum of 20 guests. There is a riverside pool, Wi-Fi, a fire deck and an outdoor bath with a view. Activities include game drives, walking safaris, canoeing, boating, catch-and-release fishing and birding. A raised Star Bed at Parachute Pan allows a night under the stars.
Wilderness Little Ruckomechi
Wilderness Little Ruckomechi is a small camp on a private reserve bordering Mana Pools National Park, on the banks of the Zambezi River. The main area looks over the river and the Rift Valley escarpment, with a plunge pool and Wi-Fi. A raised Star Bed allows a night under the stars. Activities include game drives, guided walking safaris, canoeing, river cruises, catch-and-release tigerfishing and birding. Groups of four to ten can book the camp for exclusive use.
