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FROM US$8,040-US$11,910

Buffalo Safari

Combining Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools and Hwange national parks with stays at intimate six-tent safari camps offering excellent walking, canoeing and game drives. Superb wildlife viewing and a real wilderness-focused experience.

Buffalo Safari: Summary

Buffalo Safari in a nutshell

A wild discovery of Zimbabwe’s two best national parks, this safari spends six nights in Mana Pools National Park before a light aircraft flight to Hwange National Park for a final three.

Mana Pools is known for its abundant wildlife and its lifeblood, the Zambezi River, which meanders along the park’s – and Zimbabwe’s – northern border. Start at Zambezi Expeditions, a traditional tented camp from which you can canoe on the river among hippo pods and crocodiles, or explore on game drives, hopping out on foot to follow lion tracks or approach elephants, always in the hands of fantastic guides. Then head to Kanga Bush Camp, set in a remote sector of Mana Pools overlooking a pan that draws in all kinds of wildlife. Walking safaris here are a speciality.

End with three nights at the rustic Somalisa Expeditions in the heart of Hwange National Park. Small, relaxed and with an enthusiastic guide team, it’s quickly become one of our favourites here since opening in 2017, with exciting on-foot experiences and drives in search of the park’s 100-plus mammal species and more.

This is the ideal Zimbabwe trip for those after an authentic safari adventure, foregoing a little luxury for a genuine wilderness experience.

At a glance

Starts: Harare International Airport
4 nights Zambezi Expeditions - Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe Full Board & Activities
2 nights Kanga Bush Camp - Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe Full Board & Activities
3 nights Somalisa Expeditions - Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe Full Board & Activities
Ends: Victoria Falls Airport

Zambezi Expeditions

Days 1-5

Zambezi Expeditions (formerly known as Zambezi Lifestyles) offers simple accommodation in Mana Pools National Park. The camp is an unusual cross between a mobile camp and a permanent lodge, being set up at the beginning of each safari season in one of the national park’s campsites along the Zambezi River, where it stays until the end of the season. The camp is then broken down and reassembled in a different campsite the following year. The overall style of the camp allows guests a mobile experience in a stationary setting.

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Kanga Bush Camp

Days 5-7

Situated in one of the most remote parts of Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park, Kanga Camp lies next to the isolated Kanga Pan. While most other camps in the park line the Zambezi River, Kanga is about 15km away (as the eagle flies), and has a rather different, more exclusive feel.

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Somalisa Expeditions

Days 7-10

A reinvention of a classic Hwange safari camp, Somalisa Expeditions opened at the start of 2017. The camp sits among a grove of acacia trees in a private, 150km² concession in the heart of Hwange National Park, and offers a friendly if relatively simple safari experience.

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Zambezi Expeditions

Zambezi Expeditions

Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe

Kanga Bush Camp

Kanga Bush Camp

Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe

Somalisa Expeditions

Somalisa Expeditions

Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe

About image

Highlights

Our thoughts on five of the top experiences of this Buffalo Safari.

  • The thrill of walking safaris with top guides
  • Captivating canoeing safaris on the mighty Zambezi
  • Spectacular views of Zimbabwe from the air
  • Excellent predator viewing in both parks
  • Staying at intimate bushcamps in remote areas

Activities

Some activities which can be included in the Buffalo Safari: talk to us about those which interest you.

  • 4WD Safari

  • Birdwatching

  • Canoeing

  • Fishing

  • Guided walking safari

  • Night drive

About image

Key species to see on the Buffalo Safari

Based on our travellers' observations, we’ve estimated the likelihood of seeing these species during the Buffalo Safari. Click on the animals and our wildlife surveys page for more info.


Lion

100% chance

Leopard

100% chance

Buffalo

100% chance

Eland

100% chance

Elephant

100% chance

Hippo

100% chance

Spotted Hyena

100% chance

Zebra

100% chance

Giraffe

91% chance

Roan antelope

84% chance

Sable antelope

76% chance

Wild dog

75% chance

Wildebeest

74% chance

Cheetah

39% chance

Oryx

18% chance

Brown Hyena

6% chance

Aardvark

0% chance

Black Rhino

0% chance

Pangolin

0% chance

Let us help you customise your trip

All of our holidays on this site are just ideas; none are fixed. All of our trips are tailor-made, so we'll always adapt them to suit you. Talk to an Expert and let us help you to work out your perfect trip.


Talk to an Expert

Call us now! We’ll match you with the Specialist in our team who is best suited to help you. Then together we can start planning your trip.

Set up your itinerary

Based on our experience and your ideas, your specialist will create a detailed, costed itinerary. We’ll refine it together, until we have a trip that you’re perfectly happy with.

Prepare for your trip

The same Specialist will make the seamless arrangements for your trip, send you detailed travel documents, and be available to answer any questions before you depart.

Travel with peace of mind

After you set off, you’ll be cared for by our partners in Africa, most of whom have worked with Expert Africa for decades. And if you ever need us urgently, we’re available 24/7.

When you return

We love to learn about your trip, and so will always be grateful if you’ve the time to give feedback to your Specialist when you return.

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