Mana Pools, ZimbabweDirectly across the river from the Lower ZambeziNational Park is Mana Pools in Zimbabwe.Reached by a three hour road and boat transferfrom Lusaka or via a short flight, this is a greatalternative to a safari in the Lower Zambezi. In itsheyday, Mana was one of the most sought afterand exclusive parks in Zimbabwe, and as fewvisitors have travelled there in the last ten years,the park remains unchanged. The presence ofscouts and rangers has meant that it has beenunaffected by poaching, and game densities are as high as they've ever been. Visitors are nowreturning to the park, accessing it from theZambian side and enjoying one of SouthernAfrica's premier wildlife destinations, with theadded bonus of having to share it with few other visitors. Mana Pools covers 2,000 square kilometres oftotal wilderness, much of it with no roads, so it isideal for exploration on foot. This stretch of theZambezi River is famous for its four pools: Main,Chine, Long and Chisambuk, which are remnantsof channels of the river which stopped flowingyears ago. These, and smaller seasonal poolsdotted further inland, hold water all year round,drawing a wide variety of game. The area isrenowned for having large numbers of elephant,buffalo, hippo and eland. Predators such as lion,leopard and wild dog are regularly sighted and thebirdlife is superb. There are only a couple of smallcamps in the park as well as a number of guidedcanoe trails. It is an excellent addition to a trip toZambia and suited to those looking for a puresafari experience.www.audleytravel.com/zambia ?01993 838 505 ?Zambia49RUCKOMECHICAMP, MANAPOOLSRuckomechi Camp sits in a grove of acacia andmahogany trees on the banks of the ZambeziRiver. There are ten spacious tents, all withdouble or twin beds and en suite bathrooms withhot showers. The central dining and lounge areasface the Zambezi escarpment and a separatedeck has an infinity pool for the hot afternoonsand a cushion-strewn star gazing deck for night.Activities from the camp include game drives,boat trips and walking safaris, although it is oftenunnecessary to leave the camp to see game, aselephant frequently wander in to snack on thefruit of the albida trees. MANACANOETRAIL, MANAPOOLSThis three night canoe trail explores one of themost beautiful stretches of the Zambezi River.The whole trail covers a distance of 65kilometres, and each day you'll canoe a stretch of river before stopping for lunch on an island or sandbank. There is the chance to explore thepark on foot in the afternoon before campingeach night on the banks of the river. The trail isled by an experienced guide and support vehiclesand staff set up camp each day on your arrival. It is an ideal trip for the fit and adventuroustraveller who wants to encounter wildlife fromclose quarters.Tents on a Mana canoe trailCanoe safari in Mana PoolsRukomechi CampThe pool at Rukomechi CampWaterbuck in Mana Pools National ParkYoung leopard

50zebra, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, blue wildebeest,oribi and sable antelope. Cheetah stalk throughthe stubbly grass and prides of lion relax alongthe branches of fig trees. With clouds of openbilled storks overhead, you are surrounded bywildlife. This variety of environments can beexplored on walking safaris, boat trips and dayand night game drives.LUFUPARIVERLODGE, KAFUENATIONALPARKSituated on the banks of the Lunga River, thissmall lodge is welcoming and comfortable withtwelve canvas chalets looking out onto the water.There's a small pool and bar deck on stilts above the water - perfect for sundowners in the warm evenings. Lufupa offers a variety ofactivities including boat trips, walks, and day andnight drives.BUSANGABUSHCAMP, KAFUENATIONALPARKBusanga Bushcamp sits on a fig tree island on theBusanga Plains. The four tented rooms have gauzenetting walls permitting fabulous views over thePlains. There are en suite open air bathroomswhich allow you to shower either with the sunbeating down on your back or under the stars.Dining is under canvas and there's always acampfire in the evenings. Activities focus on dayand night drives on the Busanga Plains as well ashot air ballooning.The Kafue National ParkAt over 22,000 square kilometres, the KafueNational Park is a huge magical wilderness. It hastropical rivers filled with hippo, vast floodplainswith herds of grazers, and twisted fig trees amongwhose branches lions are found. With fewvisitors, it is wild and untamed. In the north, theLufupa and Lunga Rivers twist and turn, andboating along these you will see the corrugatedbacks of crocodiles gliding silently underoverhanging trees. Elephant come to the smallsandy beaches to drink along with bushbuck,defassa waterbuck, eland and more. Deep in thepark, the Busanga Plains are a highlight. Seasonalfloodplains, these immense grasslands are onlyaccessible from June to October. Here the newshoots attract large herds of puku, red lechwe,Lufupa River LodgeDawn on the Busanga PlainsHot air ballooningA fascinating way to experience theBusanga Plains is from the basket of a hotair balloon. You will take off before dawnand rise up into the air with the sun. The balloon will float where the windtakes it - over grasslands, fig tree islands,rivers and wetlands. Wildlife looksdifferent when viewed from above - you can see birds roosting at the tops oftrees, the patterns of herds on the plainsand the backs of hippos and crocodiles inthe water. Accompanied by the mist thatoften rises off the plains in the earlymorning, these trips are visually stunningand excellent for keen photographers.On landing, a champagne breakfast isserved before a leisurely game drive back to camp.Hot air ballooning over the Busanga Plains