Rough Roads and Golden Moments – Our October Mana Pools Photo Safari Adventure

From the Cape to Mana Pools… An unforgettable October adventure!

Our October Mana Pools self-drive journey was one for the books – a true African photo safari that tested our sense of adventure and rewarded us with unforgettable photographic moments.

From the Cape all the way to the floodplains of Mana Pools National Park, we crossed borders, camped under the stars, and followed the long, dusty road to one of Africa’s most remarkable wilderness areas.

Mana Pools National Park – a pristine wilderness along the Zambezi River in northern Zimbabwe, famed for its seasonal floodplains, abundant wildlife, and untouched natural beauty, a photographers paradise!

Camping @ Chobe Safari Lodge – The First Stop in Botswana

Our first night set the tone perfectly. Camping at Chobe Safari Lodge in Kasane offered that unmistakable African welcome – the call of fish eagles echoing over the river and hippos grunting in the shallows.

It’s the kind of place that instantly reminds you why wildlife photography tours in Africa are so addictive.

Between sunsets over the Chobe River and herds of elephants crossing various waterways at the river, our cameras hardly rested.

The Road Is Long – 329 Kilometres to Binga

The next leg was less about comfort and more about endurance.

The 329 km drive from Kasane to Binga in Zimbabwe took over 11 hours on some of the most potholed tarmac imaginable. “The road is long,” we kept saying — and it truly was.

But for a Mana Pools self-drive enthusiast, this stretch is part of the charm. Every bump, dust cloud, and roadside village added to the raw authenticity of the journey.

Bush Camping on Lake Kariba – En Route to Tashinga

We arrived at Lake Kariba too late for the ferry en route to Tashinga, Matusadona and found ourselves bush camping under a vast starlit sky. There’s something about Kariba — that blend of wild stillness and shimmering water — that captures the heart of anyone on an African photography safari. The night was alive with distant hyena calls and the gentle lap of waves against the shore.

Encounters With Elelphants

Tashinga Camp, Matusadona National Park

Tashinga felt like a hidden gem. Nestled within Matusadona National Park, it’s one of those remote places that define the spirit of a self-drive photo safari. The journey in is challenging, but once you set up camp, the world slows down. We spent a few nights here photographing elephant herds, fish eagles, and the changing colours of Lake Kariba at sunset.

Baobabs and Dust – The Road to Mana Pools

Between Tashinga and Mana Pools lies one of the most scenic drives in Zimbabwe.

Giant baobab trees stood like ancient sentinels over the dusty tracks as our convoy of 4x4s wound its way north.

It’s here that the true magic of an African safari becomes tangible – not in the luxury lodges or paved roads, but in the laughter shared at roadside stops and the sense of scale the landscape gives you.

Nyamepi Camp – The Heart of Mana Pools

Finally, we reached Nyamepi Camp inside Mana Pools National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Africa’s ultimate wildlife photography tour destinations.

The Zambezi River glistened in the late afternoon light, and within minutes of arriving, we spotted elephants, hippos, and painted dogs in the distance.

Days were spent photographing on foot, capturing the raw intimacy of Africa’s wild heart – mornings of mist and lion tracks, evenings of golden light and still water.