Day 1: Mana Pools
After being collected by your guide, you are driven to the first night’s camp; this is a leisurely game drive through the spectacular Mana Pools floodplain.  This area has some of the highest concentrations of wildlife in Zimbabwe; your guide will give you an overview of the various animals, birds and plants that make up this unique floodplain habitat.  On arrival at “Camp Vundu”, and after a refreshing lunch break, you will be taken on a short drive to the launch spot near the confluence of the Ruckomechi and Zambezi Rivers where the professional guides give a full safety briefing after which you depart in the canoes downstream back to camp, and arrive around sunset. [LD]

Accomodation: Vundu Tented Camp or similar (2 man dome tent)

Day 2:  Mana Pools
An early wake up, just as the dawn breaks in order to be in the canoes and on the water in time to watch the sunrise. This is one of the most magical times of the day and you will be enchanted as you drift along quietly, listening to the sounds of the African bush wakening.   Paddle for a couple of hours before stopping for breakfast under a grove of acacia trees, after which we set off on a walk into the floodplains and surrounding woodlands.   Returning to the canoes, you head downstream to an area renowned for its huge, old elephant bulls.   This night’s camp, Chessa, overlooks a small channel, with a large grass plain separating it from the main Zambezi, 500 metres away. Frequently the plain hosts buffalo, waterbuck, elephant and hippo in the evenings. [BLD]

Day 3:  Mana Pools
This follows the same basic itinerary as day two, with a predawn wake up and sunrise whilst drifting down the Zambezi. However, this is the day that you will enter the “Wilderness Area” of Mana Pools National Park where there is limited access to people and vehicles.  This day’s paddling is through a maze of small channels before once again joining the main Zambezi River. For a change, lunch is on one of the shallow sandbanks in the middle of the river.  Depending on water levels, there may be an opportunity to explore Chikwenya Island on foot. This unique Island is host to a prolific bird population and a number of interesting mammal species. In the afternoon you will paddle into Illala Camp to spend the last night. [BLD]

Accomodation: Illala Camp or similar (2 man dome tent)

Day 4:  Departure         
Depending on your departure, there will be a short game drive to the airstrip where we bid you farewell. [B]