Zimbabwe • Mana Pools • Walking

Mana Pools Walking Safari: Walk with Giants

By Stephy, Travel Specialist at Tourgy Tourz · Published 8 October 2026

Mana Pools is widely considered one of the best places in Africa for a walking safari. Its open floodplains and ana-tree forests make it easy to see animals from a distance, and Zimbabwe's professional guides are among the most highly trained in Africa. Walking quietly towards a grazing elephant, or watching a pack of wild dogs rest in the shade, connects you to the wild in a way nothing else can.

Why walk in Mana Pools?

What happens on a walk?

Walks usually start at sunrise, when it's cool and animals are active. Your guide gives a safety briefing, then leads a small group in single file. You'll stop often to read tracks, look at plants and insects and watch animals from a respectful distance. Most walks return to camp by mid-morning for brunch, before the heat of the day.

Is a walking safari safe?

Walking safaris with licensed professional guides have an excellent safety record. Guides read animal behaviour, keep a safe distance and know exactly what to do in every situation. Your part is simple:

• Walk in single file, and stay behind your guide
• Keep quiet and use hand signals
• Never run. Stand still if the guide asks you to
• Follow every instruction immediately

Mana Pools is one of the few parks where visitors may walk without a guide in some areas, but we strongly recommend always walking with a professional guide.

Fitness and age

You need reasonable fitness to walk for a few hours on flat but sometimes uneven ground in the heat. Minimum ages apply for walking safaris, usually in the teens, so check before booking with children.

What to wear on a walking safari

• Neutral colours: khaki, olive, brown or beige. Avoid white and bright colours.
• Comfortable, broken-in walking shoes or boots
• A hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
• Long trousers and long sleeves to protect against sun, thorns and insects
• A small daypack with water and binoculars

Best time for walking in Mana Pools

June to August is cool and ideal for walking. September and October bring the most wildlife on the floodplains, but walks finish early because of the heat. Most camps close during the rains, from about November to March.

Make it a complete Zimbabwe journey

Combine Mana Pools walks with a canoe safari on the Zambezi, then add Hwange's sleep-outs and Victoria Falls. Read our Hwange Walking Safaris & Sleep-Outs, our Mana Pools National Park Safari Guide and our Victoria Falls and Hwange Safari.

You stop beneath a giant ana tree, your guide's hand raised. Twenty metres away, an elephant bull feeds peacefully, aware of you but unconcerned. You hear him breathe. You'll never see Africa the same way again.