Mana Pools as a photographic destination. Trips 2022 and 2023.

[ElenaH]

Long Pool and Green Pool

 

 

Long Pool is the best place for the afternoon photo-session of hippos. In September-October from 16:30 until 17:45 the sun is standing so, that the hippos are back-lit and the background is dark. The water will be coloured in orange and the pictures will be very dynamic.

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes the birds are fishing from the hippos backs. My partner has a great pictures of heron with a fish standing on a hippo back and a croc with a fish. 

Many guides take their guests to this place.

You can reach the place from the main road. You need to park your vehicle and walk about 50m to the pool. It is before the turn to the view point. You can often see vehicles parking there.

 

 

Don't be afraid to sit there. The hippos will not go out. Take a cap against the sun, a water bottle and something to sit on. You will be sitting on the direct sun. For hippos you will need apx. 400mm focal length. 500mm and 300mm will work as well but 600mm can be too long and 200mm too short. Good are zooms 100-400mm, 100-500mm, 200-500mm, 180-600mm

 

 

You will take pictures of birds as well from the same place.

 

 

 

 

The other side of the Long pool can also look very nice. Impalas and baboons are coming to drink. Depending on the position of the sun you can take very nice scenic pictures.

 

 

The light comes from behind the trees. These are three pictures of the same place actually. It is just opposite the place where you will be sitting.

 

 

 

Long Pool has two view points: one is closer to the hippo-place and the other is closer to the Green Pool.

 

The first place is very scenic and nice. Here you can have enough shade for a coffee break. You can see baboons often here.

 

 

The second view point is just by Green Pools that is a prolongation of a Long Pool. There you can see a lot of birds like for example, those Spoonbills.

 

 

And crocs..

 

Observe carefully the other side of the pool. We saw there four male lions many days in a row. Obviously they liked the place because it was open and it had a lot of shade. But as we tried to walk there from Chisasiko pool the lions run away.

 

 

 

 

Long Pool and Green Pool photo opportunities:

• the best place to take a photo of hippo with a dark background in the golden back light (in the afternoon)
• good place for hippo-action
• good place for croc-action
• good place for birds: fishing birds, flying birds and birds in courtship
• good place for nice scenic pictures with a blue light, golden impalas and baboons
• viewing point is a very good and shady place for a coffee break
• watch the opposite side of the pool, there could be surprises

[Ginny]

@ElenaH I love the photo of the 3 spoonbills!

[ElenaH]

Lungfish Pool

 

 

Lungfish pool sometimes is named as pan. It is a small scenic pool on the road to Chikwenya. 

You can reach that pool from the main road:

 

 

Or you can make a Chine Pool loop to Riverview Dry Riverbed and then to Lungfish. We often made this drive in 2022 when we were searching for the wild dogs.

 

 

In 2022 wild dogs were often seen in Dry Riverbed:

 

 

 

It is how the riverbed looks from the view point:

 

 

Wild dogs were often seen in Lungfish pool but we have never seen them there.

 

The usual visitors of Lungfish are birds. And they are very successful in fishing!

 

 

 

There is a resident Fish Eagle:

 

 

 

Baboons are also usual visitors:

 

 

 

Lungfish photo opportunities:

• playing baboons
• fishing birds
• sometimes wild dogs

Edited March 9 by ElenaH

[ElenaH]

22 minutes ago, Ginny said:

I love the photo of the 3 spoonbills!

thank you, Ginny. Yes, they are like dancing stars ;-)

[ElenaH]

Ingwe Pan

 

 

 

As a self-driver you can drive to Ingwe pans but not to the lodge. There are two pans on the road but before the lodge. 

Here is a road to Ingwe. Pan Lodge:

 

Here are the Pans before the lodge:

 

On those pans we met a lion pride.

 

 

 

 

Nice riverbed by crossing the Chiruwe river:

 

 

[ElenaH]

Trichilia

 

 

As far as I know Trichilia is an island opposite Zambezi river banks and is located here:

 

 

You see the sign of Trichilia camp on the road to Mucheni. As a self-driver you can drive there. You will see the camp sign and private ground sign later. The camp is on the right. The view point is on the left.

The place has a gorgeous view. There are also a lot of animals along the road to the view point.

There is a Bee-eater colony.

 

 

 

 

You can take a beautiful sunset photos in this location. 

 

 

 

Trichilia photo opportunities:

• one of the best places for sunsets
• nice scenic and landscape views

[ElenaH]

Mana Drive

 

One of the most beautiful drive in the main area of the park is Mana Drive along the Mana River.

 

 

Just at the beginning of the drive you can see water on the right side. I think, it is a part of Mana River which dries out in the dry season.

 

 

Lioness drinking from the pool on Mana Drive:

 

 

 

 

 

On the left side is an open space with acacia trees.

 

 

 

 

 

Once I found the lions here. I was just listening the calls and watching impala. We were alone on this sighting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We met lions several times along the Mana Drive.

 

 

 

You can also meet one of the elephant who can stand on his hind legs:

 

 

 

Eland is resting in the shade of acacia tree:

 

 

 

You can meet here fighting or playing impala:

 

 

 

The nice scenic views:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice Kudu bulls.

 

 

 

Baboons are communicating with each other. Probably one is asking: "How are you? How are your kids?"

 

 

Buffalo herds and Dagga-boys are also seen in Mana Drive:

 

 

 

Mana Drive photo opportunities:

• opportunity to meet the lions 
• opportunity to make photos of impala in action
• very nice scenic views and landscapes

[Bush dog]

Excellent work, Elena, and the perfect guide to Mana Pools for self-drivers.  I really like your landscape photos, as I think I’ve already told you previously?

 

 

Can I ask you when you saw the 4 lions.  Is that far from the Sapi concession?  I think these are the ones I was able to see for several days in Sapi during my stay at Tembo Plains in October 2021.  You can confirm this or not by consulting the report I made at the time.  Thank you

[Athene]

I second what @Bush dog said; this is really useful information for planning a trip to Mana Pools. Your photos are lovely @ElenaH

[ElenaH]

7 hours ago, Bush dog said:

Excellent work, Elena, and the perfect guide to Mana Pools for self-drivers.  I really like your landscape photos, as I think I’ve already told you previously?

yes, you definitely did. Sometimes I think, I am more a landscape photograph than a wildlife photograph ;-)

 

7 hours ago, Bush dog said:

Can I ask you when you saw the 4 lions.  Is that far from the Sapi concession?  I think these are the ones I was able to see for several days in Sapi during my stay at Tembo Plains in October 2021.  You can confirm this or not by consulting the report I made at the time.  Thank you

I saw the lions between 24-26.09.2022, Firstly there were three of them and they were very relaxed. Then we briefly saw a forth one who was mating with this lady:

 

 

The lady was amazing. She walked to drink about 5m from us. We were out of the car. After the drink she was sitting and looking at us absolutely relaxed. It was just incredible. We tried to stand very close to vehicle so that she would not see us as a treatment but rather that we belong to a big Toyota animal. But it was obvious that she was used to people.

 

 

Her gentleman in contrary disappeared in a flash. We couldn't even take a pic of him. Just vanished in a moment. Out friend Thomas Mutonhori from wild Dog Project said that the lion was from hunting concession and he came to Sapi just a few month ago. He didn't trust vehicles and people. And the three other males yes, they were from Sapi area. The fearful one joined them and we were joking that he influenced them too much because when they were together they dashed away immediately. earlier when three Sapi lions were alone they were relaxed with vehicles and people. At night they made a lot of roar. During the day we saw them on the opposite side of the Green Pool. 

 

 

After a couple of days they were gone. They moved to Sapi area probably. I assume there were too many vehicles and people around for a new lion to cope with. He left and the other three were following him. They were very handsome lions indeed.

 

 

 

There is a resident pride of 8-9 lions in Mana with one adult male. We didn't see those four in 2023. So, I assume, they are in Sapi area now.

 

So, it looks like they came in 2022 to pass the greeting from you to me 

 

[ElenaH]

7 hours ago, Athene said:

his is really useful information for planning a trip to Mana Pools. Your photos are lovely

Thank you, @Athene

I hope, it will be useful for someone 

But there will be a part of Kavinga Safari Camp and Chitake springs. So, we were staying in Kavinga Camp for 5 nights. So not only self.driving, but also good eating and sleeping in the lodge   

[ElenaH]

Zambezi River

 

 

Without any doubt you can get a stunning sunset pictures along Zambezi river. The scenery is actually beautiful at any time of the day.

 

 

 

There is an open space with lonely trees and the background is far away what helps to isolate the subject. More animals come to drink in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

There are also a lot of birds. Just before the Mana Mouth there is a Bee-eaters colony. The way is to the east from the Nyamepi camp or tourist office. There is a toilet marked right from the Chessa camp. Opposite on tthe banks of Mana river you will see a colony.

 

 

People are sitting where the Chessa camp is. This is a kind of private campsite for mobile safaris as far as I understand.

 

 

 

The other birds you can see along Zambezi river:

 

 

 

There are a lot of different Kingfisher species and a classic Fish Eagle.

 

Also Crowbed Hornbill:

 

And I guess this is Drongo:

 

 

The lions can be also seen between Nyamepi Camp and Mana Mouth. They are also often seen in dry riverbed of Chiruwe river on the way to Nyamatusi area. The place has name Croton.

By Mana Mouth you will see Waterbucks

 

And buffalo:

 

 

The scenery around Mana Mouth is also very nice. Depending on water level you can see there water birds, antelopes and warthogs.

 

If you drive further through Croton following Nyamatusi road you will come to the crossing where one way will go to the river bank and one will go to Nyamatusi area where you need a permit. You take a left road to the river and you will come to a gorgeous place with a few big trees providing the shade, a stunning view and a resting hippo family. Here you can take high-key images of hippos or hippos in sunset.

 

 

 

 

Be careful when repeating this:

 

 

 

 

If you drive to the West then definitely stop by Mucheni view (marked blue). You need to take a road to the right to river banks.

 

 

Mucheni or Flood Plains have flat banks and animals come to drink here. The views are fantastic!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next stop will be Old Ndungu or actually a few meters after it. If wild dogs puppies survive then you can often see wild dogs there. They used to hunt between Mucheni and Old Ndungu because impala come to drink there. For example, Trichilia river banks are too steep for impala. During the day the dogs like to lie under the shade of a bush and close to a small waterhole. I think there is also a good breeze and less tse-tse flies. 

 

Zambezi River photo opportunities:

• excellent sunsets
• beautiful landscapes and scenery
• lot of general game, lot of birds, Bee-eaters colony near Mana Mouth
• the lions can be seen between Nyamepi and Croton and along the river
• Hippo-place on the left from Nyamatusi crossing for high key and sunset pictures
• the wild dogs can be seen at Old Ndungu or between Mucheni and Old Ndungu
• very nice places for a sundowner (even with a toilet ;-)

[ElenaH]

Mucheni and Ndungu

 

I already described that place in the previous chapter but I want to extend it a little bit. 

On the way there or back you can take nice sunset pictures:

 

 

 

The dogs are hunting between Mucheni and Old Ndungu and sometimes also between Trichilia and Mucheni and with a bit of luck you can witness a hunt.

 

 

 

On the way to Old Ndungu you will definitely meet zebras. They are always there.

 

 

 

also Ellies:

 

 

Eland:

 

 

And Red-Billed Quelea. You can try to get interesting pictures of the flocks of quelea. What is good in Mana that you can leave the can and follow the flock trying to get a result you like.

 

 

The following two photos was made with 100mm focal length:

 

 

You can try also with 400mm but I think you need to increase the DoF. I had f5.6 but it would be better to have f8:

 

 

The next animal you can often meet there is hyena:

 

 

 

If you follow the "Rukomeche to Mana Pools" road you will come to Zebra Vlei.

 

 

 

 

If you cross this Vlei you will come to the place marked on the map. This is a place where a lot of hyenas can be met. I think, they have a den there. They used to steal the kills from the wild dogs.

 

 

 

The landscape around Old Ndungu:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mucheni and Old Ndungu photo opportunities:

• if you want to take pictures of Zebras go there, you will meet them on along the road
• you will definitely find hyenas in a marked place
• you can find Quelea flocks along your way to Old Ndungu
• you can find the dogs there. The best strategy to locate the dogs after the morning drive and come to Old Ndungu for evening drive. The dogs start to be active around 5pm or later

[ElenaH]

Wild Dogs

 

 

We met the Wild Dogs a few time in Old Ndungu and once in woodlands along the main road in the main part of Mana Pools.

Here is a Greetings ceremony in woodlands:

 

 

 

 

Puppies:

 

 

And a very serious Alpha:

 

 

Almost the same greeting-procedure in Old Ndungu:

 

 

 

 

A pup begging for food. 

 

 

 

Here, in the open space the pictures are especially nice because of the background which is far away.

 

 

 

Curious pups:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a small waterhole by Old Ndungu. This is the other reason why wild dogs like the place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Peter Connan]

What a fantastic thread Elena!

So much beauty and information.

 

Do you always visit at roughly the same time of year (late winter/early spring)?

[ElenaH]

Nyamatusi

 

 

 

Nyamatusi area is located further to the East from Mana Pools main park.  Here marked blue,

 

 

I think, It became more developed after African Bush Camps build a lodge there. As a self-driver you can drive there but you need to take a permit in the Nyamepi Office. The permit is free but only two self-drive vehicles are allowed to drive in Nyamatusi per day. It is quite a long drive and you probably will visit area once or twice during your stay (except a hippo-place which I described earlier and where you can drive any time)

 

 

So, there are no many vehicles in this area and you will probably meet only lodge vehicles if any.

 

 

The area is beautiful! It is an open space with acacia trees which are quite far away from each other.

 

 

 

 

Animals are already used to cars. You can meet here the same species as in Mana Pools and sometimes the male lions coalition or a resident lions pride. The lions actually walk between Nyamatusi, Croton, Mana Mouth and Mana (Chine Pool, Mana Drive)

 

 

This lions we met in Nyamatusi. A very long time we were only the car on the sightings. Later on one game drive vehicle came and then another one came and go. So, there were two game drive vehicles and we on the sighting.

 

 

 

 

 

Lions are very tired as always.

 

 

 

Nyamatusi photo opportunities:

• excellent for landscape photos, very scenic and beautiful but on the other hand different from Mana
• no cars in your pictures, no cars at all 
• sometimes you can meet lions here

[ElenaH]

Chikwenya

 

 

If you follow the road after Nyamatusi you will come to Chikwenya. The official boundary of Mana Pools National Park is a Sapi River. On the right of Sapi river you can see a Wilderness Safaris Chikwenya Lodge. Here starts Sapi area. As far as I know there is some work in going on to develop from Sapi a photographic area. Rangers are working on introducing a variety of species there. 

 

 

This is a Chikwenya concession of Wilderness Safaris, I assume. The road goes to Sapi River. We didn't drive further and didn't cross the Sapi River.

 

 

Chikwenya is also a place where we didn't see any car. The place has also gorgeous landscapes, a bit different from Mana and therefore very interesting, a kind of special.

 

 

 

 

 

The river banks are steep but elephants climb down to drink. The other antelopes drink from the natural water holes along the shore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think, the sunset here are more beautiful because there is no mountains on the other side of Zambezi and the sun can longer be seen.

We explored Nyamatusi and Chikwenya becasue the wild dogs moves to these areas. So, we were searching for wild dogs but we didn't find them. But we found lions in Nyamatusi and we found new beautiful views. The predators are definitely there. 

 

Chikwenya photo opportunities:

• beautiful and different landscapes
• no vehicles
• you can make a very nice shots of elephants

Disadvantage:

• far away from Mana Pools main area

[ElenaH]

10 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

What a fantastic thread Elena!

So much beauty and information.

 

Do you always visit at roughly the same time of year (late winter/early spring)?

Oh, I am very happy that somebody is reading it at all  I appreciate it very much! I started already to think that there is only a few self-drivers and nobody is interested in this information. 

Yes, normally we visit Africa in September-October. Especially Mana Pools! Here we are coming approximately in the middle of September and stay for 2-3 weeks. We meet the same people here - Jens Cullmann, Frank Boormann, Gail Odendaal and some others. All are wildlife photographers. Jens is African Geographic Photographer of the Year (I think of 2020) We have also very good relationships with Thomas Mutonhori from Wild Dogs Project. We all are coming approximately the same time because the Wild Dogs Puppies are big enough to follow the pack. Earlier we visited den as well but last years we didn't do it anymore because of safety for dogs.

In 2022 many people visited den and all puppies were killed by hyenas. In 2023 no one visited and all survived. 

This year we are going to Botswana (Moremi, Chobe, Savute and Mabuasehube) and Hwange.

Edited March 12 by ElenaH

[ElenaH]

If you would see only Impala

 

 

 

 

 

I'd like to make a conclusion about Mana Pools NP (main area) from the photographic perspective. 

The most important upshot is that if you don't see any other animals you can always take pictures of impalas and they will be gorgeous. Even if you don't se anything there is always stunning landscapes with their mystical light! You always take scenic breath-taking shots! This is guaranteed.

 

 

 

The other photographic interests:

• nightscapes - almost everywhere
• elephants like Boswell, who can stand on his hind legs or climb the trees - along Mana Drive, Trichilia, around Chisasiko
• hippos in sunset with dark background - Long Pool
• hippos in sunset with light background - on the way to Nyamatusi - Zambezi view point
• storks fishing and fighting  - Chone Pool and one pool inside (see report)
• bee-eaters and bee-eaters colonies - Trichilia, Mana Mouth and Elephant Creek tented camp of ZmParks
• wild dogs - quite everywhere but with puppies often between Trichila and Old Ndungu
• sunsets - along Zambezi river and Trichilia
• sunrise - Chisasiko and the road to Chine Pool
• zebra - on the way to Old Ndingu, around Chine Pool and in Zebra Vlei

 

Best Time to visit: September - October

 

 

 

 

Impala is also beautiful. What do you think?

 

[soleson]

@ElenaHThank you for the detailed discussion and amazing photos.  I have always been worried I would not have the same quality sightings if I did a self-drive vs using a guide that knows the area, but your report gives me more confidence to try a self-drive in the future.  Very much appreciated!!!

[Atravelynn]

Those quelea shots were fantastic.  So many of your birds had a meal of some kind in their mouths!  Great wild dog action.  You really had tons of wildlife sightings and photos and you made the most of the gorgeous Mana Pool landscapes to show off the wildlife, including those beautiful impala.  You even got the ele on the hind legs! Love the dancing spoonbills! Such a successful self-drive safari.

[Peter Connan]

9 hours ago, ElenaH said:

Oh, I am very happy that somebody is reading it at all  I appreciate it very much! I started already to think that there is only a few self-drivers and nobody is interested in this information. 

Yes, normally we visit Africa in September-October. Especially Mana Pools! Here we are coming approximately in the middle of September and stay for 2-3 weeks. We meet the same people here - Jens Cullmann, Frank Boormann, Gail Odendaal and some others. All are wildlife photographers. Jens is African Geographic Photographer of the Year (I think of 2020) We have also very good relationships with Thomas Mutonhori from Wild Dogs Project. We all are coming approximately the same time because the Wild Dogs Puppies are big enough to follow the pack. Earlier we visited den as well but last years we didn't do it anymore because of safety for dogs.

In 2022 many people visited den and all puppies were killed by hyenas. In 2023 no one visited and all survived. 

This year we are going to Botswana (Moremi, Chobe, Savute and Mabuasehube) and Hwange.

Elena, Mana Pools has long been the place I would most like to visit, but up to now I have been unable to make it happen. I do really hope I get an opportunity to use this information some day.

 

I have met Jens Cullman and have known about him for many years (my eldest daughter's best friend at school's family were good friends of his, such that his vehicle was stored in their driveway whenever he was not in the region, and lots of his kit as well). My tripod used to be his, but sadly none of his skill transferred to me.

 

Forum member (whom I have also been fortunate to meet)@Morkel Erasmushas also guided groups to Mana Pools.

[ElenaH]

7 hours ago, soleson said:

Thank you for the detailed discussion and amazing photos.  I have always been worried I would not have the same quality sightings if I did a self-drive vs using a guide that knows the area, but your report gives me more confidence to try a self-drive in the future.  Very much appreciated!!!

Oh! There will come even better section - about Chitake Springs. in 2022 we were staying in Kavinga Safari Camp and in 2023 in camping place in Chitake Springs. I will compare self-drive vs. camping in Chitake. 

 

The problem with guides is that you never know if your guide knows the area becasue you can get one who is new for the area. But this wound not be a big problem if they use a radio and report to each other. However, different lodges can have different frequencies and cannot communicate with each other and in some places they are not allowed to use radio at all. 

The next point is your travel-mates. You can have a lot of people in vehicle and too less space for your equipment. And those people could not be photographers and they can have only a smartphone. They will require to come closer to the animal and you perhaps, have a telephoto lens and want to be further away from the animal. And they will never stay long by a sighting. I am not talking about some 3-cars -on-sighting rule but if there is only your game drive vehicle on sighting. Nobody would want to wait for some action (like leopard waking up and goind down from the tree ..) You always need to fit your needs to the needs of others. 

 

In the National Parks it is not a big advantage to have a guide or to stay in the camp becasue they cannot go offroad. So, they are actually in the same conditions as we are. In 2022 we were so successful in finding lions that the guides asked us where the lions are  .  And they also shared their information with us. In fact we were the first one in the morning in the park (plus Jens, Gail and Stretch Ferera Safaris)

 

But we still visit camps and lodges and take game drives with the guide when we don't know the area or when we haven't been there for a long time. We record tracks adn waypoints and then go alone and sometimes stay 2-3 hours by one sighting or we come again and again to the same place to get a particular picture. If you go to the private concession you need to stay in lodge anyway (mostly)

 

The advantage of self-driving is also that you stay very close to the nature. It's a very different experience and I would highly reccommend to try it. Or you can try a mobile safari with a tour operator in a small group.

The best option is a combination of camping and lodges/camps. Normally we do such trips.

[ElenaH]

5 hours ago, Atravelynn said:

Those quelea shots were fantastic.  So many of your birds had a meal of some kind in their mouths!  Great wild dog action.  You really had tons of wildlife sightings and photos and you made the most of the gorgeous Mana Pool landscapes to show off the wildlife, including those beautiful impala.  You even got the ele on the hind legs! Love the dancing spoonbills! Such a successful self-drive safari.

Thank you very much, @Atravelynn:-)

[ElenaH]

2 hours ago, Peter Connan said:

Elena, Mana Pools has long been the place I would most like to visit, but up to now I have been unable to make it happen. I do really hope I get an opportunity to use this information some day.

 

I have met Jens Cullman and have known about him for many years (my eldest daughter's best friend at school's family were good friends of his, such that his vehicle was stored in their driveway whenever he was not in the region, and lots of his kit as well). My tripod used to be his, but sadly none of his skill transferred to me.

 

It's interesting that you know Jens ;-) As far as I know his vehicle is stored in Bolswana now. Last time I saw Jens with some kind of a travel tripod, a small one. Normally we used to see profis with RRS or Gitzo. Which one do you have?

The skill will definitelly come to you, it just need some time. You know, it's Africa, it has time ;-)

 

I know the photography of Morkel Erasmus. There also other professionals who guide droups and whom I met before like Villiers Steyn or Wim van den Hiever. But the trips are not cheap and they are short. I prefer to stay longer in Mana Pools. For example, Jens spends one or two months in Mana each year. So, he knows the park as good as a guiide :-)

 

So, you need to go to Mana Pools @Peter Connan. There is no justification for you to miss it. It is not far away from Gauteng  not like from Europe