Luxury Accommodation
Professional Safari Guide
All Natureways Safaris guides have passed the rigorous examination set by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management and hold either a valid Canoe or Professional Guides’ License. All guides carry a licensed weapon on the River. They have all studied and passed a MARS (Medical Air Rescue Services) first aid course and take a refresher course annually. If any problems should occur during the Safari there are various contact points along the River, these will be covered in safety briefings conducted before and during the Safari. Each guide also carries an ‘Emergency Safety Manual’ with a map and comprehensive instructions of what to do if a situation arises.
Odyssey Safaris have the benefit of a Professional Guide who is able to conduct canoeing safaris as well as walking safaris. Explorer Safaris are lead by a fully qualified Canoe Guide who is usually accompanied by a Learner guide. A learner guide must have at least 1000 hours of canoeing experience just to be able to site the Canoe Guides exam!
About the Safari
Kariba to Mana Pools - Departs Tues/Sat/Sun All year
DAY ONE (18 KM)
The operator will collect you on the morning of your safari at 7:30am, in good time for a check-in at their office, handing in extra luggage and valuables. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE YOUR PASSPORT ON THE RIVER. There will be a short briefing to summarise what the safari entails and questions may be asked. Guests will be required to sign an indemnity form before leaving on the safari.
After the briefing, a visit to the shops will be made, purchasing any extra drinks wanted for the trip before setting off for the river. Please note that credit cards are not a recommended payment option in Zimbabwe.
After arriving at the start point, luggage will be portered into the gorge and your group will walk the 1.5kms down to the river - quite a long, steep descent. All canoes and camping equipment will have already been carried into the gorge and packed. A safety talk and demonstration on how to paddle a canoe will be given after which you will be launched, then paddling until a stop is made for lunch.
After a picnic-style lunch, there will be time for a siesta to avoid the heat of the day after which, paddling recommences. At approximately 5pm you will arrive and set up camp on an island named Crocodile Rocks. There will be time to have a bucket bath, relax and have dinner after a brief safety talk on camping.
DAY TWO (27 KM)
You will be woken at sunrise for tea, coffee and biscuits before canoeing for a couple of hours then stopping for a leisurely breakfast. After breakfast you set off once again, enjoying the incredible scenery of the Zambezi Valley. A lunch stop will be made at the first suitable spot with time, once again, for a siesta. In the early evening you will reach your second campsite at Twin Logs Island.
DAY THREE (28 KM)
Again, up at sunrise for tea, coffee, biscuits and also breakfast, before canoeing. A packed lunch is taken on the River. At approximately 5pm camp is set up on an island named Kakomarara.
DAY FOUR (27 KM)
Up at sunrise for tea, coffee and biscuits before paddling for a couple of hours, then stopping for a relaxed breakfast. Afterwards, canoeing will resume until midday prior to a well-earned lunch and siesta, time to catch up on reading until mid-afternoon (depending on the weather). Canoeing continues until early evening where camp will be set up on Lone Acacia Island for the night.
DAY FIVE (23 KM)
The programme is as per the previous days with the night stop being made at Trichelia Island.
DAY SIX (7 KM)
Up at sunrise for tea, coffee, biscuits and then breakfast before paddling starts at around 8am. You will arrive at Mana Pools at 10am and here the canoes will be loaded on to the vehicles for the return trip to Kariba. Arrival time in Kariba is approximately 3pm.
As you depart with your memories, we know that this experience will have enriched your life and touched your soul!
Wildlife
The wildlife in Zimbabwe's National Parks is hugely abundant and below is a taster of what you might see on these Mobile Canoe Safaris. The full list would be far too numerous and why ruin the surprise? Join us on safari and find out for yourself as every day is different.
